Proxy Robots and Remote Environment Simulator for Their Human Handlers

Abstract

A system for controlling a human-controlled proxy robot surrogate is presented. The system includes a plurality of motion capture sensors for monitoring and capturing all movements of a human handler such that each change in joint angle, body posture or position; wherein the motion capture sensors are similar in operation to sensors utilized in motion picture animation, suitably modified to track critical handler movements in near real time. A plurality of controls attached to the proxy robot surrogate is also presented that relays the monitored and captured movements of the human handler as “follow me” data to the proxy robot surrogate in which the plurality of controls are configured such that the proxy robot surrogate emulates the movements of the human handler.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A system for controlling a human-controlled proxy robot surrogate comprising:
 a plurality of motion capture sensors for monitoring and capturing all movements of a human handler such as each change in joint angle, body posture or position;   a plurality of controls attached to the proxy robot surrogate that relays the monitored and captured movements of the human handler as “follow me” data to the proxy robot surrogate; and   wherein the plurality of controls are configured such that the proxy robot surrogate emulates the movements of the human handler.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said motion capture sensors are similar in operation to sensors utilized in motion picture animation, suitably modified to track critical handler movements in real time. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising strain sensors in the handler's clothing, gloves, stockings, booties or elastic bands worn by the handler over joints such that each change in joint angle, body posture or position can be relayed as “follow me” data to a proxy robot surrogate for emulation. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising two-way data and communication channels between proxy robot surrogates and their human handlers, including channels from the proxy robot surrogate to the human handler with video, sensory, positional and analytical data, and channels from handler to proxy robot surrogate with “follow me” positional data and mission commands. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a flow of data from the human handler to the proxy robot surrogate;
 wherein joints in the arms, wrists, hands, fingers, torso, legs, feet and neck of the human handler continually send positional and joint angle data to the robot for “follow me” replication by the proxy robot surrogate.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  further comprising sensors that continuously monitor the side-to-side angle (heading), up-down angle (pitch), and sideways tilt (roll) of the head of the human handler, allowing all of these angles to be faithfully replicated by the proxy robot surrogate. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said two-way data channel includes three-dimensional video data from each of the proxy robot surrogate camera “eyes” transmitted to a head-mounted or other three-dimensional video display screen means available to the human handler. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the display screen further includes information from a remote location such as ambient temperature, ambient luminosity, pitch forward, roll right-left, heading in degrees from true north, latitude and longitude, surface conditions, battery status, and an area of the screen for alerts and warnings. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein doppler radar transceivers operating via radio frequency, light, infra-red or sonar are located in appropriate locations such as above the proxy robot surrogate camera “eyes” and in the front of the boots of the proxy robot surrogate. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the video display includes frontal and profile views of the body of the proxy robot surrogate in simple outline or stick figure form. 
     
     
         11 . A system for simulating the movements of a human-controlled proxy robot surrogate at a remote location comprising:
 a human handler in communication with the proxy robot surrogate;   a treadmill comprising a plurality of sensors in communication with a plurality of sensors on the proxy robot surrogate;   a circular platform on which the treadmill is mounted that adjusts to directional information communicated from the plurality of sensors on the proxy robot surrogate; and   a plurality of mechanisms that vary a pitch and tilt of the treadmill corresponding to terrain information of the remote location of the proxy robot surrogate;   wherein the terrain information includes pitch, roll and other positional data; and   wherein the terrain information is continually adjusted by a computer-driven mechanism that analyzes video and other signals from the proxy robot surrogate.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the human handler is enabled to change heading on a treadmill, causing the proxy robot surrogate in communication with the human handler to change heading while the human handler stays safely on the treadmill, accomplished by placing the treadmill on a turntable which changes heading to match an average orientation of the human handler. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein boots of the human handler include two or more markers on each boot signaling the orientation of said boot. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein an overhead reader scans or otherwise receives the positions of the markers atop the boots of the human handler, such that when the second boot has changed heading, the reader sends a command to the turntable to rotate to a new heading averaged between the heading readings from each boot. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the reader receives the marker positions via radio transmission methods including, RFID, Bluetooth, WiFi, Zigbee, near-field or any number of other RF means; and
 wherein the reader contains transceivers that “ping” both points on each boot to triangulate their orientation and relative locations.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising varying the pitch and/or roll of a treadmill for a human proxy robot handler, wherein attached to the treadmill frame are four legs which are extendable via hydraulic, pneumatic or other means from a relatively short profile to many times that height;
 wherein the pitch may be varied by extending either front or back legs; roll can be varied by extending the legs on either side; and   wherein combinations of pitch and roll can be created by varying the length of each leg.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the treadmill is mounted by suitable means to a stand which rests on four or more short legs, and each leg in turn rests on a ball joint and ball-cupped foot which may be mounted to the floor; and
 wherein the pitch and roll are controlled by four winches, each connected to a cable, wire or rope, and various corners of the treadmill stand are lifted to achieve the appropriate amount of pitch and/or roll.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein stability is added through the inclusion of telescoping or coiled spring elements in each short leg to allow all legs to continue to touch the floor under any combination of pitch and roll; or
 by the inclusion of at least four bungee cords or cables with series springs radiating outward from each corner of the stand, with each cord connected to a suitable hook to maintain the entire platform centered and stable under various conditions of pitch and/or roll.   
     
     
         19 . A system for simulating the movements of a human-controlled proxy robot surrogate at remote location comprising:
 a human handler in communication with the proxy robot surrogate;   a treadmill with variable pitch and roll and infinitely variable heading;
 wherein the treadmill takes the form of a large sphere and the environment created falls generally within the top third of the sphere exterior; 
   a plurality of sensors attached to the human handler transmitting data including speed and step direction of the human handler;   a plurality of receivers on the proxy robot surrogate receiving the transmitted data from the sensors attached to the human handler controlling the movements of the proxy robot surrogate including speed and step direction.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein sphere diameter is at least 3 and preferably 5 or more times average human height. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the sphere rests upon large bearings, and wherein roller motors rollers contact and turn the sphere in any direction when commanded by circuitry monitoring both the steps of a human handler and the pitch and roll of terrain immediately ahead in the remote location. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the sphere itself moves the handler to a location on the surface of the sphere which exhibits pitch and roll matching terrain conditions in the remote location of the proxy robot surrogate that is in communication with the human handler. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising receiving data from sources on the “person” of the proxy robot surrogate including 3-D video from camera “eyes,” terrain-level radar data from its boots, and an additional radar view from a point above the camera “eyes”. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein video from the remote location is routed to a video terrain analyzer which turns a near-real-time video stream into data about the terrain ahead, both immediate and a general upcoming topography. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the video data is combined with signals from the proxy robot's boot view and head view radar and routed to a “terrain just ahead” circuit where they are bundled with handler step motion data and fed to a processor which turns all the input into meaningful signals to drive the spherical treadmill's roller motors. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a gravity harness for the handler suspended from a platform by a number of bungee cords or cables with springs, and calibrated to render the effective weight of the human handler the same as that of the handler's proxy robot at its remote location, and including means for moving the gravity harness to follow the movement of the handler about on the sphere to maintain direct overhead lift and an effective human handler weight equal to that of the remote proxy robot surrogate. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of motors disposed to include rollers equally spaced around the sphere, preferably at its equator. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of motor controllers, which translate data into specific polarity and amplitude signals to move the spherical treadmill in any desired direction. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising a plurality of motor mounts that include swivel and spring assemblies that pull the rollers away from the surface of the sphere creating a gap whenever the motor is not in use 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the means for moving the gravity harness and maintaining the handler's effective weight is by a winch means letting out or taking in cable as the human handler and gravity harness are moved to new positions on the spherical treadmill. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the gravity harness lifting and positioning is done by a movable, extendable boom or robotic arm which receives data from a processor and maintains direct overhead upward torque on the human handler in the gravity harness. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein a “Boot-down” switch or pressure pad on a heel and a sole of each of boot of the human handler signals the proxy robot surrogate to completely lower its corresponding boot to the ground, heel or toe first.