Robot device, method of controlling the same, computer program, and robot system

A method of controlling a robot device, comprising:

• inputting an image of surroundings;
• detecting an object from the image input in the step of inputting;
• detecting a position of the object detected in the step of detecting an object;
• acquiring surrounding environment information of the position of the object detected in the step of detecting from an environment map including the surrounding environment information;
• acquiring an optimum posture corresponding to the surrounding environment information acquired in the step of acquiring surrounding environment information for the object detected in the step of detecting an object;
• retaining an optimum posture of each object for each environment in an object posture database;
• detecting a current posture of the object from the image input in the step of inputting;
• comparing the current posture of the object detected in the step of detecting a current posture to the optimum posture of the object retained in the object posture database;
• and
• correcting the posture of the object when it is determined in the step of comparing that there is a predetermined difference or more between the current posture of the object and the optimum posture.

A computer program, written in a non-transitory computer-readable format, for controlling a robot device and causing a computer to function as:

• an environment map including surrounding environment information;
• an image input unit for inputting an image of surroundings;
• a target object detection unit for detecting an object from the input image of the image input unit;
• an object position detection unit for detecting a position of the object detected by the target object detection unit;
• an environment information acquisition unit for acquiring surrounding environment information of the position of the object detected by the object position detection unit from the environment map;
• an optimum posture acquisition unit for acquiring an optimum posture corresponding to the surrounding environment information acquired by the environment information acquisition unit for the object detected by the target object detection unit;
• an object posture database for retaining an optimum posture of each object for each environment;
• an object posture detection unit for detecting a current posture of the object from the input image of the image input unit;
• an object posture comparison unit for comparing the current posture of the object detected by the object posture detection unit to the optimum posture of the object retained in the object posture database;
• and
• an object posture correction unit for correcting the posture of the object when the object posture comparison unit determines that there is a predetermined difference or more between the current posture of the object and the optimum posture.

A robot system comprising:

• an environment map constructed on an external device and including surrounding environment information;
• an object posture database, constructed on an external device, for retaining an optimum posture of each object for each environment;
• and
• a robot device including an image input unit for inputting an image of surroundings, a target object detection unit for detecting an object from the input image of the image input unit, an object position detection unit for detecting a position of the object detected by the target object detection unit, an environment information acquisition unit for acquiring surrounding environment information of the position of the object detected by the object position detection unit from the environment map, an optimum posture acquisition unit for acquiring an optimum posture corresponding to the surrounding environment information acquired by the environment information acquisition unit for the object detected by the target object detection unit, an object posture detection unit for detecting a current posture of the object from the input image of the image input unit, an object posture comparison unit for comparing the current posture of the object detected by the object posture detection unit to the optimum posture of the object retained in the object posture database, and an object posture correction unit for correcting the posture of the object when the object posture comparison unit determines that there is a predetermined difference or more between the current posture of the object and the optimum posture.