On Robotics

As autonomous robots become more complex in their behavior, more sophisticated software architectures are required to support the ever more sophisticated robotics software. These software architectures must support complex behaviors involving adaptation and learning, implemented, in particular, by neural networks. We present in this paper a neural based schema [2] software architecture for the development and execution of autonomous robots in both simulated and real worlds. This architecture has been developed in the context of adaptive robotic agents, ecological robots [6], cooperating and competing with each other in adapting to their environment. The architecture is the result of integrating a number of development and execution systems: NSL, a neural simulation language; ASL, an abstract schema language; and MissionLab, a schema-based mission-oriented simulation and robot system. This work contributes to modeling in Brain Theory (BT) and Cognitive Psychology, with applications i...

In 2006 the Sony Corporation announced that production of the Aibo robot, which is the stan- dard robot platform of the four-legged league of RoboCup, would be discontinued. This paper describes a prototype robot kit which could lead to a new standard platform for the four-legged league. The aims for de- velopment of the new platform can be summa- rized as follows: 1.) Continue and improve the concepts behind the Sony Aibo robot. 2.) Al- low research into sophisticated quadruped soc- cer skills. 3.) Build an open systems robot to advance low level features and to sup- port high level strategy planning and learn- ing. 4.) Achieve faster and more exciting soc- cer games. 5.) Contribute to progress of the four-legged league, which to date has been a very successful league. 6.) Determine kit style hardware for year to year upgrades of selected modules. The robot kit allows for substantial new flexi- bility in hardware design in associated scientific challenges and research projects. The...

Reaching and grasping of objects in an everyday-life environment seems so simple for humans, though so complicated from an engineering point of view. Humans use a variety of strategies for reaching and grasping anything from the simplest to the most complicated objects, achieving high dexterity and efficiency. This seemingly simple process of reach-to-grasp relies on the complex coordination of the musculoskeletal system of the upper limbs. In this paper, we study the muscular co-activation patterns during a variety of reach-to- ...

This paper presents the position control of a three-DOF (degree-of-freedom) micro-motion stage. This stage provides micro scale planar motion along the x and y axis and rotational motion along the z axis. It uses a 3 RRR (three revolute-revolute-revolute) ∞exure hinge based compliant mechanism driven by three piezo- electric stack actuators to achieve the micro motion along x, y and

This paper reports preliminary experiments with a new robot system designed to cooperatively extend a human's ability to perform fine manipulation tasks requiring human judgement, sensory integration and hand-eye coordination. A recently completed steady-hand robot is reported. A stable force control law is reviewed. Preliminary experiments validate theoretical predictions of stable one-dimensional control of tool-tip forces in contact with both linearly and nonlinearly compliant objects. Preliminary feasibility experiments demonstrate stable one-dimensional robotic augmentation and "force scaling" of a human operator's tactile input.

This paper presents a system for autonomous navigation of a mobile robot in an unknown environment based on the fusion of a continu-ously updated point cloud with proprioceptive sensors (IMU and encoders). A SICK LMS100 series laser is used to generate a wide field of view point cloud which is transmitted to a ground control station for visualisation during teleoperation. The point cloud is also used to generate an occupancy grid on which an effi-cient path planning algorithm is run in real-time. The advantages of this system are its ef-ficiency, flexibility and quick coverage of a large unknown environment. Experiments show the ability of the system to map out a large area while navigating autonomously to a target po-sition.

We describe a framework for controlling a group of nonholonomic mobile robots equipped with range sensors. The vehicles are required to follow a prescribed trajectory while maintaining a desired formation. By using the leader-following approach, we formulate the formation control problem as a hybrid (mode switching) control system. We then develop a decision module that allows the robots to automatically switch between continuous-state control laws to achieve a desired formation shape. The stability properties of the closed-loop hybrid system are studied using the Lyapunov theory. We do not use explicit communication between robots; instead we integrate optimal estimation techniques with nonlinear controllers. Simulation and experimental results verify the validity of our approach.