Cognitive Architecture to Generate Motivational Feelings: A Way to Improve Visual Learning in Robots

Expressions and voice pitch of an individual play an indispensable role in different cognitive processes. These factor help humans to learn a lot about different things present in their environment. This paper proposes a way to motivate robot learning through their environment and human around them. This mechanism is based on recognition of other agent’s facial expressions and voice pitch analysis by robot. A motivational level can be calculated through these feelings. Motivational level can impel the robots to improve their past learning. This mechanism can possibly help a robot to apprehend its environment and interact with other agents effectively. Keywords: cognition; motivation; facial expression; voice pitch; perception; memory

A Hand-Eye-Arm Coordinated System

In this paper we present the description and experiments with a tightly coupled Hand-Eye-Arm manipulatory system. We explain the philosophy and the motivation for building a tightly coupled system that actually consists of very autonomous modules that communicate with each other via a central coordinator. We describe each of the modules in the system and their interactions with each other. We highlight the need for sensory driven manipulation, and explain how the above system, where the hand is equipped with multiple tactile sensors, is capable of both manipulating unknown objects, but also detecting and complying in the case of collisions. We explain the partition of the control of the system into various closed loops, representing coordination both at the level of gross manipulator motions as well as fine motions. We describe the various modes that the system can work in, as well as some of the experiments that are being currently performed using this system

An Integrated System for Dextrous Manipulation

This paper describes an integrated system for dextrous manipulation using a Utah-MIT hand that allows one to look at the higher levels of control in a number of grasping and manipulation tasks. The system consists of a number of low-level system primitives for grasping, integrated hand and robotic arm movement, tactile sensors mounted on the fingertips, sensing primitives to utilize joint position, tendon force and tactile array feedback, and a high-level programming environment that allows task level scripts to be created for grasping and manipulation tasks. A number of grasping and manipulation tasks are described that have been implemented with this system

A control paradigm for general purpose manipulation systems

Journal ArticleMechanical end effectors capable of dextrous manipulation are now a reality. Solutions to the high level control issues, however, have so far proved difficult to formulate. We propose a methodology for control which produces the functionality required for a general purpose manipulation system. It is clear that the state of a hand/object system is a complex interaction between the geometry of the object, the character of the contact interaction, and the conditioning of the manipulator. The objective of this work is the creation of a framework within which constraints involving the manipulator, the object, and the hand/object interaction can be exploited to direct a goal oriented manipulation strategy. The set of contacts that are applied to a task can be partitioned into subsets with independent objectives. The individual contacts may then be driven over the interaction surface to improve the state of the grasp while the configuration of the hand addresses the application of required forces. A system of this sort is flexible enough to manage large numbers of contacts and to address manipulation tasks which require the removal and replacement of fingers in the grasp. A simulator has been constructed and results of its application to position synthesis for initial grasps is presented. A discussion of the manipulation testbed under construction at the University of Utah employing the Utah/MIT Dextrous hand is presented

A system for programming and controlling a multisensor robotic hand

A system for programming and controlling a multisensor robotic hand (Utah-MIT Hand) is described. Using this system, a number of autonomous tasks that are easily programmed and include combinations of hand-arm actuation with force, position, and tactile sensing have been implemented. The system is controlled at the software level by a programming language DIAL that provides an easy method for expressing the parallel operation of robotic devices. It also provides a convenient way to implement task-level scripts that can then be bound to particular sensors, actuators, and methods for accomplishing a generic grasping or manipulation task. Experiments using the system to pick up and pour from a pitcher, unscrew a lightbulb, and explore planar surfaces are presented

An annotated bibligraphy of multisensor integration

technical reportIn this paper we give an annotated bibliography of the multisensor integration literature

A survey of dextrous manipulation

technical reportThe development of mechanical end effectors capable of dextrous manipulation is a rapidly growing and quite successful field of research. It has in some sense put the focus on control issues, in particular, how to control these remarkably humanlike manipulators to perform the deft movement that we take for granted in the human hand. The kinematic and control issues surrounding manipulation research are clouded by more basic concerns such as: what is the goal of a manipulation system, is the anthropomorphic or functional design methodology appropriate, and to what degree does the control of the manipulator depend on other sensory systems. This paper examines the potential of creating a general purpose, anthropomorphically motivated, dextrous manipulation system. The discussion will focus on features of the human hand that permit its general usefulness as a manipulator. A survey of machinery designed to emulate these capabilities is presented. Finally, the tasks of grasping and manipulation are examined from the control standpoint to suggest a control paradigm which is descriptive, yet flexible and computationally efficient1

Understanding and Representing Natural Language Meaning

Coordinated Science Laboratory was formerly known as Control Systems LaboratoryOffice of Naval Research / N00014-75-C-061

NASA space station automation: AI-based technology review

Research and Development projects in automation for the Space Station are discussed. Artificial Intelligence (AI) based automation technologies are planned to enhance crew safety through reduced need for EVA, increase crew productivity through the reduction of routine operations, increase space station autonomy, and augment space station capability through the use of teleoperation and robotics. AI technology will also be developed for the servicing of satellites at the Space Station, system monitoring and diagnosis, space manufacturing, and the assembly of large space structures

Advanced Industrial Robot Control Systems

The objective of this research is to extend the flexibility a,hd . \u27usefulness. of current industrial robots by the integration of robot motion control directly into a. general purpose programming language, the development of force feedback and its integration into the language, the formulation of a high-level task description language RTM, and by the investigation of both off-line collision-free path planning and on-line collision avoidance