Abstract:
An interactive robot mimicking a baby&#39;s reactions to physical touches by a human user includes a main portion and two hand portions at the sides. The main portion includes a display panel coupled to a signal processing module. The two hand portions include signal conducting poles and a triaxial force sensor. The signal conducting poles sense actions applied to the hand portions by the user and send signals to the triaxial force sensor. The triaxial force sensor converts the signals to an electrical signal. The signal processing module can determine the action applied by the user, determine an appropriate emotional reaction, and send a reaction signal to the display module. The display module displays a particular countenance after receiving the reaction signal.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The subject matter herein generally relates to robotics. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    An interactive robot may generate emotional reactions when different actions are applied to the robot by a user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures. 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is a front view of one embodiment of an interactive robot. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a side view of one embodiment of the interactive robot of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a front view of one embodiment of a hand portion of the interactive robot of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a right view of one embodiment of the hand portion of the interactive robot of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view of one embodiment of a sensor array of the interactive robot of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is a block view of one embodiment of the interactive robot of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a table showing a plurality of actions. 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a table showing emotional reactions corresponding to the actions of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 7 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 10  is similar to  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. 
         [0015]    Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. 
         [0016]    The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected or releasably connected. The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series, and the like. 
         [0017]    The present disclosure is described in relation to an interactive robot to generate emotional reactions when the robot is subjected to different actions by a user. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of an interactive robot  100 . The interactive robot  100  has a wide awake, open, innocent appearance and is in a shape of baby. In at least one embodiment, a height of the interactive robot  100  is 650 millimeters (mm), a width of the interactive robot  100  is 400 mm. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates that the interactive robot  100  comprises a main portion  10  and two hand portions  20  located at each side of the main portion  10 . The main portion  10  comprises a front portion  11  and a back portion  12 . 
         [0020]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate that each hand portion  20  may be made of silica gel or formaldehyde resin. Each hand portion  20  comprises a touching surface  21 , a curved surface  22 , and a connecting surface  23 . The connecting surface  23  is coupled between the touching surface  21  and the curved surface  22 . The hand portion  20  has a plurality of signal conducting poles  24  and a triaxial force sensor  25 . The signal conducting poles  24  sense an action signal from the hand portion  20  and send the action signal to the triaxial force sensor  25 . In at least one embodiment, each signal conducting pole  24  is substantially T-shaped, the touching surface  21  is a circular surface, the curved surface  22  is a cambered surface, and the connecting surface  23  is cylindrical. 
         [0021]      FIG. 5  illustrates that the back portion  12  defines a sensor array  121 . The sensor array  121  senses a force on the back portion  12  when a user touches the back portion  12 , converts the force to an electrical signal, and outputs the electrical signal. 
         [0022]    In at least one embodiment, the hand portions  20  have six signal conducting poles  24 . Each signal conducting pole  24  comprises a transverse portion  241  and a horizontal portion  242 . The horizontal portion  242  is substantially perpendicular to the transverse portion  241 . The six horizontal portions  242  are substantially perpendicular to each other and intersect with each other to form a rectangular Cartesian coordinate system. The six signal conducting poles  24  are substantially perpendicular to each other. One transverse portion  241  is mounted on a surface of the triaxial force sensor  25 , the other transverse portions  241  are equidistantly mounted in the hand portion  20 . 
         [0023]    The triaxial force sensor  25  can sense a force in three dimensions (Fx, Fy, and Fz). The triaxial force sensor  25  receives the action signal from the signal conducting poles  24  and converts the signal to an electrical signal. 
         [0024]      FIG. 6  illustrates that the interactive robot  100  comprises a signal processing module  40 , a display module  50 , and a shocking module  60 . The signal processing module  40  comprises a receiving unit  41 , a signal amplification unit  42 , an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) unit  43 , a storing unit  44 , and a processing unit  45 . The receiving unit  41  receives the electrical signal from triaxial force sensor  25  and the sensor array  121 . The signal amplification unit  42  amplifies the electrical signal from the receiving unit  41 . The ADC unit  43  converts the amplified electrical signal to data. 
         [0025]      FIG. 7  illustrates that the storing unit  44  stores a plurality of actions in relation to the hand portion  20 .  FIG. 8  illustrates that the storing unit  44  stores a plurality of emotional reactions corresponding to human actions applied to the hand portion  20 .  FIG. 9  illustrates that the storing unit  44  stores a plurality of actions about the hand portions  20 .  FIG. 10  illustrates that the storing unit  44  stores a plurality of emotional reactions corresponding to the actions. 
         [0026]    The processing unit  45  analyzes the data from the ADC unit  43 , compares the characteristics of the data with the information stored in the storing unit  44  (shown in  FIGS. 7-10 ), determines an action which has been applied to the hand portion  20  or to the back portion  12 , determines an emotional reaction accordingly, and sends a reaction signal corresponding to the emotional reaction to the display module  50  and to the shocking module  60 , thereby enabling the display module  50  and the shocking module  60  to demonstrate a response. 
         [0027]    The display module  50  receives the reaction signal from the processing unit  45  and controls the display panel  111  to display a facial emotion. The shocking module  60  receives the reaction signal from the processing unit  45  and indicates shock at one frequency according to the reaction signal. 
         [0028]    When an action is applied to the hand portion  20  by a user, the signal conducting poles  24  send action signals to the triaxial force sensor  25 . The triaxial force sensor  25  converts the action signals to an electrical signal according to a mathematical function and sends the electrical signal to the signal processing module  40 . The receiving unit  41  amplifies the electrical signal and sends the amplified electrical signal to the ADC unit  43 . The ADC unit  43  converts the amplified electrical signal into data and sends the data to the processing unit  45 . The processing unit  45  extracts content of the data, compares the content of the data with the information stored in the storing unit  44  (shown in  FIGS. 7-10 ), determines the action which has been applied to the hand portion  20  or to the back portion  12 , determines an emotional reaction suitable to the action, and sends a reaction signal corresponding to the emotional reaction to the display module  50  and the shocking module  60 . The display module  50  controls the display panel  111  to display a particular countenance. The shocking module  60  shocks. 
         [0029]    When an action is applied to the back portion  12  by the user, the sensor array  121  senses the applied action, converts the applied action to an electrical signal, and sends the electrical signal to the signal processing module  40 . The receiving unit  41  amplifies the electrical signal and sends the amplified electrical signal to the ADC unit  43 . The ADC unit  43  converts the amplified electrical signal to data and sends the data to the processing unit  45 . The processing unit  45  extracts content of the data, compares the content of the data with the information stored in the storing unit  44  (shown in  FIGS. 7-10 ), determines an action which has been applied to the hand portion  20  or to the back portion  12 , determines an emotional reaction to correspond to the action, and sends a reaction signal corresponding to the emotional reaction to the display module  50  and the shocking module  60 . The display module  50  controls the display panel  111  to display a particular countenance. The shocking module  60  shocks. 
         [0030]    It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only and changes may be made in detail, including in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.