The present technology relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program enabling improvement of an entertainment aspect of an autonomous mobile body.

The information processing apparatus includes: an image processing unit configured to generate a first moving image in which a virtual second autonomous mobile body that virtually interacts with a first autonomous mobile body is superimposed in a captured moving image obtained by capturing an image of the first autonomous mobile body; and a display control unit configured to control display of the first moving image. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an information processing terminal that performs an operation and the like on an autonomous mobile body.

A self-propelled device is provided including a drive system, a spherical housing, and a biasing mechanism. The drive system includes one or more motors that are contained within the spherical housing. The biasing mechanism actively forces the drive system to continuously engage an interior of the spherical housing in order to cause the spherical housing to move.

Communication with a user is more naturally and effectively realized. An information processing apparatus includes an autonomous mobile body (10) that travels while maintaining an inverted state, and an operation control unit (230) that controls an operation of the autonomous mobile body. The autonomous mobile body includes a main body (10), two wheels (620) mounted on the main body, and a drive mechanism (565) that drives the two wheels. The operation control unit controls the drive mechanism to maintain the inverted state of the autonomous mobile body by the two wheels. When the autonomous mobile body is placed on a surface that is flat, a part of a columnar surface (621) of each of the wheels comes into contact with the surface.

An information processing device (100) includes an acquisition unit (151) that acquires instruction information including an instruction from an operator on a moving direction for a moving body, a transformation unit (154) that transforms the moving direction included in the instruction information acquired by the acquisition unit (151) into a moving direction in a relative coordinate system based on a reference position, which is determined according to a surrounding environment of the moving body, and a relative position of the moving body, and a control unit (156) that controls a moving direction of the moving body on the basis of the moving direction transformed by the transformation unit (154).

Communication with a user is more naturally and effectively realized. An information processing apparatus includes a first sensor (1101) that detects an object present in a first direction with respect to an autonomous mobile body; second sensors (1102, 1103) that detect the object present in the first direction with respect to the autonomous mobile body by a system different from a system of the first sensor; and an operation control unit (230) that controls an operation of the autonomous mobile body based on a detection result acquired by the first sensor and a detection result acquired by the second sensors.

A self-location estimation device includes a first self-location estimation unit, a second self-location estimation unit, and a first integration unit. The first self-location estimation unit estimates a current first self-location of an autonomous mobile body based on current image information acquired by an image sensor and environmental map information stored in an environmental map information storage unit. The second self-location estimation unit estimates a current second self-location of the autonomous mobile body based on the current image information and a learned parameter learned using the environmental map information. The first integration unit estimates a current self-location of the autonomous mobile body by integrating the first self-location and the second self-location.

A self-propelled device includes a spherical housing and an internal drive system. The self-propelled device can further include an internal structure having a magnet holder that holds a first set of magnets and an external accessory comprising a second set of magnets to magnetically interact, through the spherical housing, with the first set magnets

A system for controlling a plurality of karts distributed over a karting track, implementing a control server communicating with each of the karts using at least two separate communication networks, a first safety information management network and a second gaming information management network. The first safety information network also allows transmitting requests for action from one of the karts to the server. The server is configured to manage respective positions of the karts, analyze the requests according to the respective positions and to validate, refuse, modify and/or delay the activation of the requests, by emitting corresponding commands to the concerned karts, via the first network, and synchronize controlling according to the requests. The server generates image data at least to the concerned karts, and generates special effects by controlling light and/or sound sources provided for this purpose on the karting track, to simulate the activation of the requests.

A program for operating a robot, comprising providing, a user interface for controlling a robot, wherein the user interface is from the perspective of a recording device, applying, an overlay over the robot, wherein the overlay is visible through the user interface, enabling, a user to control the position and orientation of a robot, connecting a user device with a robot, converting a request from a user to alter the position and orientation of the robot, where the request is processed based on the requested position and orientation of the robot based on a target location determined by the recording device, detecting, the updated robot position and orientation through the recording device, and altering, the robot position and orientation based on a request from the user and the preserved overlay of the robot based on the new position and orientation based on the recording device perspective of the robot.

A path planning device includes: data acquisition means for acquiring position data of an obstacle; storage means for storing the position data of the obstacle; and path setting means for setting, based on an environmental map, the acquired position data of the obstacle and the position data of the obstacle stored in the storage means, a moving path to a target position, and regularly updating the moving path. The path setting means sets, when the path setting means determines that the acquired obstacle is positioned on a first moving path to the target position after the first moving path is set, a second moving path in which there is no obstacle on a moving path. The storage means stores the position data of the obstacle on the first moving path when the moving load along the second moving path is larger than the moving load along the first moving path.