This paper reports development of an intelligent container, a unit of the logistical support robot system in living space. The container not only supports human to fix and arrange their commodities, but also supports robots to achieve their logistical tasks. In other words, the intelligent container is a mediator between human's request and robots' capabilities. The container has four major roles in our logistical support system. (1) Taking several commodities in and recognizing and acquiring contents' information.(2) Supporting human and robots to transfer the container. (3) Receiving users' command as a simple user-interface. (4) Communicating to a host computer and informs the contents of the container and users' command. To realize those roles, the container is equipped with a grasping navigation mechanism for robot handling, RFID reader for the recognition of contents, and LCD device to display supporting information to human and robot. Finally, a primary function is evaluated in experiment to confirm that an acceleration sensor enables the container to detect being transferred by human.In the future, the intelligent container will play a role of contact point for human and robots in our target system, that enables human-robot symbiotic life.

This paper describes development of "iDock", which is used for a container temporal stacker. iDock serves as if it is a mail-box in the post-service or a service station of the doorto-door delivery system to improve efficiency of domestic delivery and storage robot system. The instrument realizes stack of containers, recognition of contents in containers, and navigation of robots. To acquire information of contents in containers, RFID tags are attached to contents and scanned by movable RFID antenna of iDock. By experiments, it is confirmed that the movable RFID antenna is applicable to robust reading, and guide plates for human and robot can actualize smooth handing over task of containers between a user and a robot.

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This paper reports the development of a mechanism for grasping container cases in home logistical use. When we expect robots to carry something at home, robots have to grasp various goods at home. However, it's very difficult in terms of the complicated problems of recognition and control. To solve these problems, we make a proposal using container cases in home logistical use. Using container cases in logistical use, we can limit subjects which robots have to deal with. In this paper we describe the development of a grasping mechanism only for such container cases. This mechanism can passively permit 10mm errors in positioning. To realize the needs, the mechanism consists of the guide mechanism with a combination of a taper pin and a hole, and the slide mechanism which can switch high and low friction automatically.