Action teaching system and action teaching method

an action teaching system to teach a grasping action to a robot having a robot arm including a hand to grasp a work object, comprising:

• an image-capturing device;
• a range measuring device that measures a distance to an object;
• a display device;
• an input device that receives an input operation by an operator;
• a database in which grasping patterns are stored, the grasping patterns being applicable by the hand to a plurality of predetermined shape models;
• means for displaying a captured image of a working space including the work object obtained by the image capturing device on the display device;
• means for receiving an operation to specify a part of the work object to be grasped by the hand as an operation to specify a recognition area including the part in two dimensions on an image of the work object displayed on the display device by using the input device;
• means for receiving an operation to specify a predetermined shape model to be applied to the part from among the plurality of predetermined shape models through the input device;
• means for fitting the predetermined shape model specified by the operator onto 3D position data of a space corresponding to the recognition area obtained by using the range measuring device;
• and
• means for selecting at least one grasping pattern applicable to grasping of the work object by searching the database based on the predetermined shape model specified by the operator and a fitting result by the means for fitting.