The virtual studio which can make composite real image and computer graphics is indispensable equipments for broadcasting stations. However, it's difficult to use handy type cameras in such kind of studios, because it requires the precise camera movement data. So, we devised the new sensor which could measure angle and the 3 dimensional position of the camera, using Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technology. We clarified the method of MEMS's noise control, and the development of a new image processing algorithm, we can get precision around 0.2[deg] by the new MEMS sensor, and within 3% to moving distance in a rate of 59.94[Hz] (video rate) by PIV process.

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Human Support Robot (HSR), a safe and lightweight assistant robot with large range of tasks, has been developed to support disabled or aged people and their caregivers. In order for HSR to move around one's house autonomously, its path planning process needs to generate a path which can go through narrow spaces without collision with surroundings. However, determining such paths is a difficult task for wheeled robots with non-holonomic constraints like HSR because the path planning process needs to carefully detect collisions considering configurations of the robot while keeping smoothness of the path. To address this issue, we proposed a path planning method which is based on path optimization using three imaginary springs. With the proposed methods, collision-free smooth paths going through narrow spaces were generated in real time, and the HSR prototype was able to move through narrow spaces smoothly.

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Pivoting manipulation is an effective method for carrying large and heavy objects which have high friction between the floor. In this paper, we propose the motion generation and control method for pivoting manipulation adaptive to the object state and contact force. The robot estimates the actual object motion and the required manipulation force online based on the kinematic and physical sensor feedback, and modifies the object path and the whole-body posture for pivoting manipulation. By this pivoting system, a robot can pivot the object without the knowledge of the object mass and friction parameter. Finally, we confirm that the proposed pivoting system enables a robot to acquire the adaptability to the variation of the object weight and the error of the object motion by the experiment, in which the life-sized humanoid robot carries the large furniture.

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This paper focuses on the various movements of a human upper–limb on a horizontal plane and investigates the relationship among the muscle synergies, equilibrium–point (EP) trajectories and endpoint stiffness through the estimation of the EP trajectories and endpoint stiffness by two methods: (1) a novel estimation method by analyzing EMG signals under the concept of the agonist–antagonist (A–A) muscle pairs and (2) a conventional estimation method by using mechanical perturbations. The experimental results test the validity of the new method and suggest that (1) three muscle synergies represent the muscle activities of the human upper–limb movements on a horizontal plane; (2) each muscle synergy shows the balance among the coactivations of A–A muscle pairs; (3) the first and second muscle synergies are the invariant bases for the EP trajectory which is described in the polar coordinates centered on the shoulder joint. One synergy plays a role for the movement in the radius direction and another plays for the movement in the angular direction; and (4) the third muscle synergy is the invariant basis for additionally adjusting the endpoint stiffness. It influences the direction and size of the endpoint stiffness.

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Human has a strong spine which can generate dynamic and flexible motion. We focus on its mechanisms and implement them to a robot spine of a musculoskeletal humanoid through hardware design. First, this paper describes methods to develop the robot spine which has both strength and flexibility. We separated 3 vertebra groups from the spine like a human and applied some machining methods to each group. Second, we show a human-like muscle arrangement of the spine including planar muscles. The planar muscles have larger surface and power than linear muscles designed with conventional methods. Therefore, the spine can keep its posture even if it receives force by a dynamic arm motion. Finally, we show a variable stiffness system of the spine to resist an impact by which the spine structure and muscles damage. We tested the system in the situation of whiplash injury which often occur in rear-end collision in a vehicle body.

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