GUIDE ROBOT AND GUIDE ROBOT OPERATION METHOD
A guide robot and a guide robot operation method are disclosed. In the guide robot, according to the present disclosure, speech volume settings of the guide robot can be adjusted by being set as more subdivided so that various changing situations can be reflected, and the loudness of the speech volume can be changed and adjusted by estimating intention of use according to whether there are visitors in the vicinity or whether visitors approach. Therefore, the visitors can more accurately recognize content spoken by the robot, and use inconveniences caused by the use of the same loud sound volume are resolved.
1 . A guidance robot comprising:
a sensing unit that collects situational information in the vicinity;
a traveling-enabling unit that moves the guidance robot;
a display on which visual information is displayed;
an output unit that outputs an utterance associated with preset guidance information or visual information displayed on the display; and
a processor that is electrically connected to the sensing unit, the display, and the output unit and adjusts the volume of the utterance to be output to the output unit based on the collected situational information.
2 . The guidance robot of claim 1 , wherein, based on the collected situational information, the processor performs control to adjust the volume of the utterance within a first setting range when a first condition is satisfied and performs control to adjust the volume of the utterance within a second setting range different from the first setting range when a second condition is satisfied, and
wherein the maximum value within the second setting range is set to be lower than the maximum value within the first setting range.
3 . The guidance robot of claim 2 , wherein the first condition is for a case where the utterance targets an unspecified multiplicity of persons, and the second condition is for a case where the utterance targets a specific person.
4 . The guidance robot of claim 2 , wherein the sensing unit includes a sensor detecting the traveling speed of the guidance robot, and
wherein the processor recognizes the traveling speed detected through the sensor, as the collected situational information, and, based on the detected traveling speed, adjusts the volume of the utterance within the first setting range.
5 . The guidance robot of claim 4 , wherein, when the utterance associated with the preset guidance information is output, the processor adjusts the magnitude of the volume of the utterance either within the first setting range or in a manner that exceeds the first setting range, in such a manner as to be proportional to the magnitude of the detected traveling speed.
6 . The guidance robot of claim 2 , wherein the sensing unit comprises:
a sensor for detecting a traveling space for the guidance robot, and
wherein the processor adjusts the volume of the utterance within the first setting range, depending on whether or not the traveling space recognized through the sensor is a closed space or a quite space.
7 . The guidance robot of claim 6 , wherein when the traveling space recognized through the sensor is determined to be a closed space or a quite space, the processor adjusts the magnitude of the volume of the utterance either to the minimum value within the first setting range or to a value lower than the minimum value.
8 . The guidance robot of claim 2 , wherein the sensing unit comprises:
a sensor for detecting whether or not a visitor is present in the vicinity, and
wherein the processor adjusts the volume of the utterance within the first setting range based on the sensor's detection of whether or not a visitor is present in the vicinity.
9 . The guidance robot of claim 8 , wherein in response to the sensor detecting that no visitor is present in the vicinity, the processor adjusts the magnitude of the volume of the utterance either to the minimum value within the first setting range or to a value lower than the minimum value.
10 . The guidance robot of claim 8 , wherein the processor recognizes that one of the visitors in the vicinity approaches, and, based on verification of the approaching visitor's intention to use the guidance robot, changes the volume of the utterance to a value lower than before within first setting range or changes the volume of the utterance within the second setting range, for the purpose of adjustment.
11 . The guidance robot of claim 10 , wherein, in response to the approaching visitor moving away by a predetermined range or greater, the processor adjusts the volume of the utterance to a value higher than before within the first setting range.
12 . The guidance robot of claim 1 , wherein the display comprises:
a first display provided on the front surface of the body of the guidance robot; and
a second display provided on the rear surface of the body of the guidance robot, and
wherein, based on the collected situational information, the processor controls the output unit in such a manner as to output an utterance associated with content displayed on one of the first and second displays.
13 . The guidance robot of claim 12 , wherein, while the guidance robot travels, the processor controls the output unit in such a manner as to output an utterance associated with content displayed on the second display.
14 . The guidance robot of claim 12 , wherein the sensing unit detects the approaching direction of a visitor, and
wherein the processor controls the output unit in such a manner as to output an utterance associated with content displayed on one, corresponding to the detected approaching direction, of the first and second displays.
15 . The guidance robot of claim 14 , wherein, in response to the detected approaching direction corresponding to both the first and second displays, the processor controls the output unit in such a manner as to output an utterance associated with content displayed on any one display selected according to a preset reference.
16 . The guidance robot of claim 15 , wherein the preset reference is associated with priorities for controlling the first and second displays, which are assigned based on the collected situational information.
17 . The guidance robot of claim 1 , wherein the output unit is an array speaker capable of outputting the utterance in a plurality of different directions, and
wherein, when the guidance robot outputs the utterance, based on the situational information, the processor controls the array speaker in such a manner as to output the utterance in a selected direction.
18 . A method of controlling a guidance robot, the method comprising:
a step of displaying content on a display;
a step of collecting situation information in the vicinity;
a step of adjusting the volume of an utterance associated with preset guidance information or the displayed content based on the collected situational information; and
a step of outputting the utterance at the changed volume.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein in the step of adjusting the volume of the utterance, based on the collected situational information, the volume of the utterance within a first setting range is adjusted when a first condition is satisfied, and the volume of the utterance is adjusted within a second setting range different from the first setting range when a second condition is satisfied, and
wherein the maximum value within the second setting range is set to be lower than the maximum value within the first setting range.
20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
a step of displaying different content items on a first display provided on the front surface of the body of the guidance robot and a second display provided on the rear surface of the body of the guidance robot, respectively; and
a step of outputting an utterance associated with content displayed on one of the first and second displays at the adjusted volume, based on the collected situational information.