Automated Repositioning from Supine to Lateral with a Humanoid Robot Based on Body Modeling
Misa Matsumura, Tamon Miyake, Woohyeok Choi, Shigeki Sugano, Keiichi Nakagawa, Etsuko Kobayashi
Abstract
The application of humanoid robots is gaining attention as a solution to the caregiver shortage caused by an aging population. In this study, we automated the process of changing a patient’s body position from supine to lateral, a key aspect of nursing care. We proposed a method for recognizing a patient’s 3D posture at close range by simultaneously using a fisheye camera and a RGBD camera. For robot motion, we developed a trajectory generation method that adapts to the patient’s posture by converting measurement data into a mathematical model. Additionally, we identified the optimal timing for the movement of robot arms with minimal physical strain by considering human body dynamics. In all experiments using mannequins of different body shapes, the robot successfully reached the target joint and lifted one side of the body by more than 48 degrees. Future work will include detection of joints unaffected by body bulges and application the method to other repositioning movements.
BibTeX
@inproceedings{iros2025_automatedreposit,
title = {Automated Repositioning from Supine to Lateral with a Humanoid Robot Based on Body Modeling},
author = {Misa Matsumura and Tamon Miyake and Woohyeok Choi and Shigeki Sugano and Keiichi Nakagawa and Etsuko Kobayashi},
booktitle = {IROS 2025},
year = {2025}
}