Patent ID: 8442680
Filing Date: 2013-05-14
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
1. A motion state evaluation apparatus of a legged mobile robot, which evaluates a motion state of the robot in a state of performing a motion control of the robot so that the actual motion of the robot follows a desired motion of the robot for causing the robot to implement a motion while having a plurality of portions of the robot in contact with a plurality of different surfaces to be contacted, which exist in an operating environment of the robot, the motion state evaluation apparatus comprising at least one processor, the at least one processor comprising: a virtual surface group setting unit which uses a virtual surface group composed of a plurality of virtual surfaces having a predetermined mutual posture relationship in order to virtually set the virtual surface group in the space of an operating environment of the robot such that the plurality of virtual surfaces of the virtual surface group match or approximate the plurality of surfaces to be contacted; a required basic total translational external force determining unit which determines, on the basis of the desired motion, a required basic total translational external force, which is a translational force component in a total external force to be applied to the robot to implement the desired motion; a translational external force compensation amount determining unit which sequentially calculates a motion state amount difference, which is a difference between an observed value of a predetermined motion state amount of the robot and a desired value of the motion state amount in the desired motion, and determines, on the basis of the motion state amount difference, a translational external force compensation amount, which is a translational force to be additionally applied to the robot in order to bring the motion state amount difference close to zero; a required virtual surface translational force calculating unit, which is a unit that calculates a required virtual surface translational force, which is a translational force to be applied to the robot from each of the plurality of virtual surfaces of the virtual surface group to attain a compensating total translational external force, which is obtained by adding the determined translational external force compensation amount to the determined required basic total translational external force, and calculates the required virtual surface translational force in each virtual surface so as to satisfy at least a first A requirement that the resultant force of virtual surface normal force components, which are components perpendicular to the virtual surface of the required virtual surface translational force in each of the plurality of virtual surfaces, coincides with components other than components parallel to all virtual surfaces of the virtual surface group of the compensating total translational external force and a first B requirement that the resultant force of virtual surface frictional force components, which are components parallel to the virtual surface of the required virtual surface translational force in each of the plurality of virtual surfaces, coincides with the components parallel to all virtual surfaces of the virtual surface group of the compensating total translational external force; and a motion state evaluating unit which evaluates the motion state of the robot at least on the basis of the calculated required virtual surface translational force.