5 degrees of freedom mobile robot
View Patent ↗A robotic system that includes a remote controlled robot with at least five degrees of freedom and a teleconferencing function. The robot may include a camera, a monitor and a holonomic platform all attached to a robot housing. The robot may be controlled by a remote control station that also has a camera and a monitor. The remote control station may be linked to a base station that is wirelessly coupled to the robot. The cameras and monitors allow a care giver at the remote location to monitor and care for a patient through the robot. The holonomic platform provides three degrees of freedom to allow the robot to move about a home or facility to locate and/or follow a patient. The robot also has mechanisms to provide at least two degrees of freedom for the camera.
1. A robot, comprising:
a housing;
a mobile platform that is attached to said housing and has three degrees of freedom;
a camera coupled to said housing;
a monitor mechanically coupled to said camera to move with said camera;
a first device that moves said camera and said monitor in a fourth degree of freedom; and,
a second device that moves said camera and said monitor in a fifth degree of freedom.
2. The robot of claim 1 , wherein said platform is a holonomic platform.
3. The robot of claim 1 , wherein said camera and said monitor pivots about a pivot axis.
4. The robot of claim 1 , wherein said camera and said monitor spins about a spin axis.
5. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the pivot axis intersects the spin axis.
6. The robot of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless transceiver coupled to said housing.
7. The robot of claim 1 , wherein said first and second devices each include an electric motor.
8. A robot, comprising:
a housing;
a mobile platform that is attached to said housing and has three degrees of freedom;
a camera coupled to said housing;
a monitor mechanically coupled to said camera to move with said camera;
first movement means for moving said camera and said monitor in a fourth degree of freedom; and,
second movement means for moving said camera.and said monitor in a fifth degree of freedom.
9. The robot of claim 8 , wherein said platform is a holonomic platform.
10. The robot of claim 8 , wherein said camera and said monitor pivots about a pivot axis.
11. The robot of claim 8 , wherein said camera and said monitor spins about a spin axis.
12. The robot of claim 8 , wherein the pivot axis intersects the spin axis.
13. The robot of claim 8 , further comprising a wireless transceiver coupled to said housing.
14. The robot of claim 8 , wherein said first and second movement means each include an electric motor.
15. A robot, comprising:
a housing;
a mobile platform that is attached to said housing and has three degrees of freedom;
a camera coupled to said housing so that said camera can pivot about a pivot axis and spin about a spin axis;
a monitor mechanically coupled to said camera to move with said camera;
a first actuator coupled to said housing, said camera and said monitor; and,
a second actuator coupled to said housing, said camera and said monitor.
16. The robot of claim 15 , wherein said first actuator is an electric motor.
17. The robot of claim 15 , wherein said second actuator is an electric motor.
18. The robot of claim 15 , wherein said platform is a holonomic platform.
19. The robot of claim 15 , wherein the pivot axis intersects the spin axis.
20. The robot of claim 15 , further comprising a wireless transceiver coupled to said housing.
21. The robot of claim 15 , wherein said first and second actuators are coupled to said monitor.
22. A method for operating a robot, comprising:
moving a robot along a surface in three degrees of freedom, the robot having a camera that is mechanically coupled to and moves with a monitor;
moving the camera and the monitor of the robot in a fourth degree of freedom; and,
moving the camera and the monitor in a fifth degree of freedom of the robot.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the fourth degree of freedom is pivoting the camera and the monitor about a pivot axis and the fifth degree of freedom is spinning the camera and the monitor about a spin axis.
24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting instructions to the robot.
25. A robotic system, comprising:
a remote station; and,
a robot coupled to said remote station, said robot including a mobile platform that has three degrees of freedom and a camera, and a monitor mechanically coupled to said camera to move with said camera, said camera and said monitor can move in a fourth degree of freedom and a fifth degree of freedom.
26. The robot system of claim 25 , wherein said remote station includes a computer.
27. The robot system of claim 26 , wherein said remote station includes an input device.
28. The robot system of claim 25 , wherein said robot includes a wireless transceiver.
29. The robot system of claim 28 , further comprising a base station coupled to said wireless transceiver and said remote station.
30. A robot head, comprising:
a housing;
a camera coupled to said housing so that said camera can pivot about a pivot axis and spin about a spin axis;
a monitor mechanically coupled to said camera to move with said camera;
a first actuator coupled to said housing, said camera and said monitor; and,
a second actuator coupled to said housing, said camera and said monitor.
31. The robot head of claim 30 , wherein said first actuator is an electric motor.
32. The robot head of claim 30 , wherein said second actuator is an electric motor.
33. The robot head of claim 30 , wherein the pivot axis intersects the spin axis.
34. The robot head of claim 30 , further comprising a wireless transceiver coupled to said housing.
35. A robot head, comprising:
a housing;
a camera coupled to said housing;
a monitor mechanically coupled to said camera to move with said camera;
first movement means for pivoting said camera and said monitor about a pivot axis; and,
second movement means for spinning said camera and said monitor about a spin axis.
36. The robot head of claim 35 , wherein the pivot axis intersects the spin axis.
37. The robot head of claim 35 , further comprising a wireless transceiver coupled to said housing.
38. The robot head of claim 35 , wherein said first and second movements means include an electric motor.
39. A method for operating a robot head, comprising:
pivoting together a camera and a monitor of a robot head about a pivot axis, the monitor being mechanically coupled to the camera to move with the camera; and,
spinning the camera and a monitor of the robot head about a spin axis.
40. The method of claim 39 , further comprising pivoting and spinning the monitor.
41. The method of claim 39 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting instructions to the robot.
42. A robotic system, comprising:
a remote station; and,
a robot head coupled to said remote station, said robot head including a camera and a monitor mechanically coupled to said camera to rotate with said camera, said camera and said monitor can pivot together about a pivot axis and spin about a spin axis.
43. The robot system of claim 42 , wherein said remote station includes a computer.
44. The robot system of claim 43 , wherein said remote station includes an input device.
45. The robot system of claim 42 , wherein said robot head includes a wireless transceiver.
46. The robot system of claim 45 , further comprising a base station coupled to said wireless transceiver and said remote station.