Social behavior rules for a medical telepresence robot

1. A telepresence robot comprising:

a drive system configured to move the telepresence robot;

a control system configured to control the drive system to drive the telepresence robot around a work area;

an object detection system configured to determine that a first object encountered by the telepresence robot is a human; and

a social path component configured to:

determine a first lockout zone having a first radius around the human and a first comfort zone having a second radius around the human, the second radius being larger than the first radius; and

instruct the control system to cause the telepresence robot to:

avoid traveling through the first lockout zone;

move at a first maximum speed within the first comfort zone; and

move at a second maximum speed outside of the first comfort zone, wherein the second maximum speed is greater than the first maximum speed.

2. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the social path component is configured cause the telepresence robot to avoid passing through the first comfort zone unless the telepresence robot can reach a destination in less time by passing around the first comfort zone than slowing down while passing through the first comfort zone.

3. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the social path component is configured to determine a size or shape of the first lockout zone or the first comfort zone.

4. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein:

the object detection system is further configured to determine that a second object encountered by the telepresence robot is not human; and

the social path component configured to determine a second lockout zone having a third radius around the second object and a second comfort zone having a fourth radius around the second object, the fourth radius being larger than the third radius.

5. The telepresence robot of claim 4 , wherein the third radius is smaller than the first radius and the fourth radius is smaller than the second radius.

6. The telepresence robot of claim 4 , wherein the third radius varies according to a type of the second object.

7. The telepresence robot of claim 4 , wherein the third radius is between 0.5 and 12 inches.

8. The telepresence robot of claim 4 , wherein the first radius is between 18 and 36 inches.

9. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the first radius is variable based on an amount of available space around the human.

10. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the first radius is variable based on an identify of the human.

11. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the first radius is variable based on a classification of the human.

12. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the first radius is variable based on a location of the telepresence robot and the human.

13. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the first radius is variable based on a level of urgency with which the telepresence robot is navigating.

14. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the first radius is selectable or can be disabled by a user who is remotely operating the telepresence robot.

15. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein a size of the first radius is inversely related to a number of people within the work area, such that a higher number of people results in a smaller size of the first radius.

16. A method comprising:

distinguishing, by an object detection system, that a first object encountered by a telepresence robot is a human;

determining a first lockout zone having a first radius around the human and a first comfort zone having a second radius around the human, the second radius being larger than the first radius; and

instructing a control system of the telepresence robot to:

avoid traveling through the first lockout zone;

move at a first maximum speed within the first comfort zone; and

move at a second maximum speed outside of the first comfort zone, wherein the second maximum speed is greater than the first maximum speed.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein instructing comprises instructing the control system of the telepresence robot to avoid passing through the first comfort zone unless the telepresence robot can reach a destination in less time by passing around the first comfort zone than slowing down while passing through the first comfort zone.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

distinguishing, by the object detection system, that a second object encountered by the telepresence robot is not human; and

determining a second lockout zone having a third radius around the second object and a second comfort zone having a fourth radius around the second object, the fourth radius being larger than the third radius.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the third radius is smaller than the first radius and the fourth radius is smaller than the second radius.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the third radius varies according to a type of the second object.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium programmed with instructions that cause one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

distinguishing, by an object detection system, that a first object encountered by a telepresence robot is a human;

determining a first lockout zone having a first radius around the human and a first comfort zone having a second radius around the human, the second radius being larger than the first radius; and

instructing a control system of the telepresence robot to:

avoid traveling through the first lockout zone;

move at a first maximum speed within the first comfort zone; and

move at a second maximum speed outside of the first comfort zone, wherein the second maximum speed is greater than the first maximum speed.