Patin

Concept

Adding AI robot concept to existing products Patin is a French word meaning “skate”. One of attracting points of robot should be the mobility. When we put robot with skating shoes like movement on existing products such as home appliance and furniture, then would it be possible to create something very new? Self-behavioral robot platform with AI (Artificial Intelligent) has been made by systematic configuration of this idea.

Patin is made of autonomously behaving AI and a platform with moving functions.
It is possible to give it various functions by connecting different service units.

For example, lighting or planting service unit can be connected.
Patin’s AI moves through observation and decision of surrounding environments, and behaves autonomously by collaborating with mounted lightings or properly responding to the request of plant care.

Totally new viewpoint will appear in a living scene, through the imagination of putting Patin on existing products, like “thinking illumination” and “thinking green” fitting in human behaviors. Such an “autonomous mobility of existing functions” is the concept ofPatin.

Objective of Development

To lower the barriers for robot development and widely prevail home robot Patin is provided as an open-source platform equipped with an interface to connect service units on the autonomously movable body with AI. Third party companies can develop own idea of robotic products as service units of Patin that enables them to provide their products without hard work of AI development. Then, we can lower the barriers for them entering into the robotic product development.

By providing third-party developers with technical support like SDK and simulator, small developers such as a group or even an individual will become able to participate in the development through platforms. In an environment with mutual cooperation, many people can contribute to the promotion and dissemination of home robot.

Our objective of development is to promote the use of home robot helpful to human living by cultivating a new ground for robot development.

System Configuration

Patin consists of Patin main body, various service units, Patin pit, and cloud.
Various sensors (collision, thermal, depth, motion, and voice sensors), speaker, and mobility function by omni wheels are all equipped in a main body of Patin.
By offering SDK and simulator affinitive with Android application development environment, we provide such environments easier to participate for many software developers.
Patin pit has functions to charge Patin’s main body and communicate between Patin’s main body and Wi-Fi to send the information to cloud or receive up-date information from cloud to Patin. Cloud accumulates behavior and other information integrated from each Patin, and distributes up-date to improve the behavioral accuracy.

Specification / Attachment (Prototype)

Dimension:: Length:340mm / Width:330mm / Hight:193mm
OS:: Linux
Wheel:: Omni wheel
Motor:: DC motor
Battery:: Lithium ion battery
Main CPU Board:: Jetson TK1
Control Board:: Ardino board
Camera Sensor:: Depth camera
Thermal image camera
Monocular Camera
Drop prevention sensor
Obstacle detection sensor
Contact sensor
Cladding material:: glass filled nylon (powder molding)
Others:: Wi-Fi / USB / adapter

Design

Basic design concept of Patin comes from “skating”.
Beautiful flat moving body drawing a smooth arc. Just a good size as a home robot. Structure for endurable connection with service units.
Considering the way of being as a platform without uncomfortable feelings in various scenes of human living, affinity between functions and environments have been carefully studied.
Omni wheels are used to realize a lean movement of Patin body.
This enables a multi-directional movement through cooperation of wheel body rotations (front and back motion) with barrel roller rotations along the wheel circumference (right and left motion).
In addition, as a behavioral feature of omni wheel, 360-degree rotation from the center of robot body becomes possible.
Patin has a round design (when looked down from above) for the best use of these characteristics.
The outline is a unified structure of circle and allocated wheels.
It also appeals its circulating characteristic of a ring with Patin body, service units and connected clouds.

About SEED

"SEED" is a research and development studio selling original robots.
Based on our corporate vision, we have been developing products to function in everyday life.
Robots are a collection of highly specialized technologies, developed by the friendly competition of specialists from different backgrounds.
SEED is working toward the same goal with highly experienced engineers and young researchers who are postdocs or affiliated with academia. These diverse members share the same vision as they work toward the same goal.
We work every day while believing in the permeating role that science plays in the world as a result of research.

Flower Robotics and the Flower Robotics logo are registered trademarks.
The Patin logo is registered trademark.