Robotic Sparring Partner

Abstract

A robotic sparring device is provided having an upright torso section operatively engaged with arms, legs, and a head. Both the arms and legs are formed of two sections and engaged to the torso at respective shoulder and hip positions. Computer controlled electric motors at points similar to human joints provide rotation of joined leg and arm sections in two planes. A computer controller is configured with software to elicit human like offensive and counter movements of the limbs of the sparring device in response to or an offensive movement toward a human sparring partner.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A robotic sparring device comprising:
 a torso section supported upon an upright support positioned on a support surface;   a first arm having a first section in a rotational engagement at a first engagement point to a first side of said torso;   a second arm having a second rotational engagement at a second engagement point at an opposite side of said torso from said first arm;   a second section of said first arm extending from a rotational engagement to said first section at a third engagement point, to a distal end having a first hand located thereon;   a second section of said second arm extending from a rotational engagement to said first section of said second arm at a fourth engagement point, to a distal end having a left hand located thereon;   motors operatively positioned at each of said first engagement point, said second engagement point, said third engagement point, and said fourth engagement point;   said motors configured to provide rotation in both a first plane and a second plane normal to said first plane to said first portions of said arms relative to said torso, and to respective said second portions of said arms relative to respective said first portions thereof;   each said motor in communication with a power supply and a controller;   each said motors being operable by said controller for both a forward rotation and a reverse rotation, from a static position;   said torso or said upright support rotatable by a torso motor operatively engaged therewith, said torso motor in communication with said power supply and said controller;   said controller in said communication with said torso motor, switchable to rotate said torso motor between said forward said rearward rotation, and a stationary position;   said controller in an operative engagement with a computing device having software thereon configured to initiate movements between said forward, rearward, and static positions of all said motors and said torso motor;   a computer operatively in communication with said controller, said computer running software configured to communicate signals to said controller to initiate said movements, whereby said first and second arms and said torso of said robotic sparring device, will move in accordance with said signals in a manner similar to a human sparring partner; and   said software initiating said signals by choosing said signals from a database of said signals correlated to respective said movements of said first arm, said second arm, and said torso, calculated to counter discerned body movements by a human sparring partner.   
     
     
         2 . The robotic sparring device of  claim 1  additionally including a system for discerning said body movements by said human sparring partner, comprising:
 a camera generating a pixilated image of said human sparring partner and a background; 
 software configured to determine the right arm, left arm, head, and torso area of said human sparring partner in pixels of said pixilated image; and 
 said software configured to discern movements of said right arm, left arm, head, and torso area of said human sparring partner, in said pixels, and calculate said discerned body movements by said human sparring partner. 
 
     
     
         3 . The robotic sparring device of  claim 1  additionally including a system for discerning said body movements by said human sparring partner, comprising:
 a camera generating a pixilated image of said human sparring partner and a background; 
 camera discernable markers positioned on one or more body positions of said human sparring partner from a group of body positions including a right arm, a left arm, a head, and a torso area of said human sparring partner; and 
 said software configured to discern movements of said targets and thereby calculate movements of said right arm, said left arm, said head, and said torso area of said human sparring partner relative to each other and thereby calculate said discerned body movements by said human sparring partner. 
 
     
     
         4 . The robotic sparring device of  claim 2  additionally including a secondary system for discerning said body movements by said human sparring partner, comprising:
 a camera generating a pixilated image of said human sparring partner and a background; and 
 camera discernable markers positioned on one or more body positions of said human sparring partner from a group of body positions including a right arm, a left arm, a head, and a torso area of said human sparring partner; 
 said software configured to discern movements of said targets and thereby make a first calculation of movements of said right arm, said left arm, said head, and said torso area of said human sparring partner relative to each other; and 
 said software configured compare said first calculation to said discerned movements of said right arm, said left arm, said head, and said torso area discerned in said pixels and to then calculate said discerned body movements by said human sparring partner. 
 
     
     
         5 . The robotic sparring device of  claim 1  additionally including a system for discerning said body movements by said human sparring partner, comprising:
 RFIDs having unique identifiers broadcast in an RF signal, positioned on one or more body positions of said human sparring partner from a group of body positions including a right arm, a left arm, a head, and a torso area of said human sparring partner; 
 each respective RFID identifier correlated in said software to a respective body position on said human sparring partner; 
 an RF receiver for receiving said RF signal from each respective said RFID and communicating such in real time to said computer; and 
 said software running on said computer configured to calculate positions of said RFID's relative to each other and thereby calculate movements of said right arm, said left arm, said head, and said torso area of said human sparring partner relative to each other to thereby calculate said discerned body movements by said human sparring partner. 
 
     
     
         6 . The robotic sparring device of  claim 1  additionally comprising:
 a first leg having a first section in a rotational engagement at a fifth engagement point to said first side of said torso; 
 a second leg having a second rotational engagement at a sixth engagement point at an opposite side of said torso from said first arm; 
 a second section of said first leg extending from a rotational engagement to said first section at a seventh engagement point, to a distal end having a first foot located thereon; 
 a second section of said second leg extending from a rotational engagement to said first section of said second leg at an eighth engagement point, to a distal end having a second foot located thereon; 
 leg motors operatively positioned at each of said fifth engagement point, said sixth engagement point, said seventh engagement point, and said eighth engagement point; 
 said leg motors configured to provide rotation in both a first leg plane and a second leg plane normal to said first leg plane at said first portions of said legs relative to said torso, and to respective said second sections of said first and second leg, relative to respective said first portions thereof; 
 each said leg motor in communication with said power supply and said controller; 
 each said leg motors being operable by said controller for both a forward rotation and a reverse rotation, from a static position; 
 said computer operatively in communication with said controller, said computer running software configured to communicate leg signals to said controller to initiate respective said forward and reverse rotation to each said leg motors, whereby said first and second legs will move in leg movements in accordance with said signals in a manner similar to a human sparring partner; and 
 said software initiating said leg signals by choosing said leg signals from a database of said leg signals correlated to respective said leg movements of said first leg and said second leg which have been calculated to counter said discerned body movements by a human sparring partner. 
 
     
     
         7 . The robotic sparring device of  claim 2  additionally comprising:
 a first leg having a first section in a rotational engagement at a fifth engagement point to said first side of said torso; 
 a second leg having a second rotational engagement at a sixth engagement point at an opposite side of said torso from said first arm; 
 a second section of said first leg extending from a rotational engagement to said first section at a seventh engagement point, to a distal end having a first foot located thereon; 
 a second section of said second leg extending from a rotational engagement to said first section of said second leg at an eighth engagement point, to a distal end having a second foot located thereon; 
 leg motors operatively positioned at each of said fifth engagement point, said sixth engagement point, said seventh engagement point, and said eighth engagement point; 
 said leg motors configured to provide rotation in both a first leg plane and a second leg plane normal to said first leg plane at said first portions of said legs relative to said torso, and to respective said second sections of said first and second leg, relative to respective said first portions thereof; 
 each said leg motor in communication with said power supply and said controller; 
 each said leg motors being operable by said controller for both a forward rotation and a reverse rotation, from a static position; 
 said computer operatively in communication with said controller, said computer running software configured to communicate leg signals to said controller to initiate respective said forward and reverse rotation to each said leg motors, whereby said first and second legs will move in leg movements in accordance with said signals in a manner similar to a human sparring partner; and 
 said software initiating said leg signals by choosing said leg signals from a database of said leg signals correlated to respective said leg movements of said first leg and said second leg which have been calculated to counter said discerned body movements by a human sparring partner. 
 
     
     
         8 . The robotic sparring device of  claim 3  additionally comprising:
 a first leg having a first section in a rotational engagement at a fifth engagement point to said first side of said torso; 
 a second leg having a second rotational engagement at a sixth engagement point at an opposite side of said torso from said first arm; 
 a second section of said first leg extending from a rotational engagement to said first section at a seventh engagement point, to a distal end having a first foot located thereon; 
 a second section of said second leg extending from a rotational engagement to said first section of said second leg at an eighth engagement point, to a distal end having a second foot located thereon; 
 leg motors operatively positioned at each of said fifth engagement point, said sixth engagement point, said seventh engagement point, and said eighth engagement point; 
 said leg motors configured to provide rotation in both a first leg plane and a second leg plane normal to said first leg plane at said first portions of said legs relative to said torso, and to respective said second sections of said first and second leg, relative to respective said first portions thereof; 
 each said leg motor in communication with said power supply and said controller; 
 each said leg motors being operable by said controller for both a forward rotation and a reverse rotation, from a static position; 
 said computer operatively in communication with said controller, said computer running software configured to communicate leg signals to said controller to initiate respective said forward and reverse rotation to each said leg motors, whereby said first and second legs will move in leg movements in accordance with said signals in a manner similar to a human sparring partner; and 
 said software initiating said leg signals by choosing said leg signals from a database of said leg signals correlated to respective said leg movements of said first leg and said second leg which have been calculated to counter said discerned body movements by a human sparring partner. 
 
     
     
         9 . The robotic sparring device of  claim 4  additionally comprising:
 a first leg having a first section in a rotational engagement at a fifth engagement point to said first side of said torso; 
 a second leg having a second rotational engagement at a sixth engagement point at an opposite side of said torso from said first arm; 
 a second section of said first leg extending from a rotational engagement to said first section at a seventh engagement point, to a distal end having a first foot located thereon; 
 a second section of said second leg extending from a rotational engagement to said first section of said second leg at an eighth engagement point, to a distal end having a second foot located thereon; 
 leg motors operatively positioned at each of said fifth engagement point, said sixth engagement point, said seventh engagement point, and said eighth engagement point; 
 said leg motors configured to provide rotation in both a first leg plane and a second leg plane normal to said first leg plane at said first portions of said legs relative to said torso, and to respective said second sections of said first and second leg, relative to respective said first portions thereof; 
 each said leg motor in communication with said power supply and said controller; 
 each said leg motors being operable by said controller for both a forward rotation and a reverse rotation, from a static position; 
 said computer operatively in communication with said controller, said computer running software configured to communicate leg signals to said controller to initiate respective said forward and reverse rotation to each said leg motors, whereby said first and second legs will move in leg movements in accordance with said signals in a manner similar to a human sparring partner; and 
 said software initiating said leg signals by choosing said leg signals from a database of said leg signals correlated to respective said leg movements of said first leg and said second leg which have been calculated to counter said discerned body movements by a human sparring partner.