UnimouseSim: a real-time mobile robot simulator with hardware-in-the-loop support for the micromouse contest

Mestrado de dupla diplomação com a UTFPR - Universidade Tecnológica Federal do ParanáMobile robots are applied to various industrial contexts, performing repetitive and highperformance tasks. One way of generating interest in the study of robotics in this context is through robotics competitions. The aim of this work is the development of a 3D mobile robotics simulator with hardware-in-the-loop capabilities. It includes developing models for standard components, such as time-of-flight sensors, wheel encoders, and direct current motors. The simulator interacts with development boards, programmed through Arduino-compatible libraries for communication with each robot component. By having the microcontrollers process each sensor’s output and determine the appropriate motor commands, the microcontroller’s limitations are present even during the simulation. The simulator contains different environments, where users have to complete challenges that require sensor data to be interpreted and motor commands to be calculated for different purposes, namely following walls, controlling the robot speed, and developing algorithms for completing the micromouse competition. A modification to the flood fill algorithm, commonly used in the micromouse competition, was proposed and analysed. It targets robots with a simple movement set, unable to perform turns while maintaining linear speed. The simulator was used in the RoboSTEM hackathon, where students were presented with the challenge environments and developed their solutions. It provided insights about the problems they were asked to solve and the simulator software itself.A robótica móvel é aplicada a diferentes contextos industriais, executando tarefas repetitivas e de alta performance. Uma forma de gerar interesse no estudo da robótica é por meio de competições. O objetivo deste trabalho é o desenvolvimento de um simulador 3D de robótica com hardware-in-the-loop. Foi feito o desenvolvimento de components comumente utilizados nos robôs, como sensores time-of-flight, encoders e motores de corrente contínua. A intereção com o simulador é feita por placas de desenvolvimento programadas por bibliotecas compatíveis com o ambiente Arduino, específicas para cada componente. Sendo o microcontrolador responsável por processar as medições dos esnsores e determinar o comando apropriado para os motores, as limitações de memória e poder de processamento dos microcontroladores se fazem presentes mesmo no ambiente de simulação. O simulador contém diferentes ambientes, em que o tulizador deve completar desafios que requerem a utilização dos sensores e atuadores para dieferentes fins, nomeadamnete o seguimento de paredes, controlo de velocidade e completar a competição do micromouse. Foi proposta e analizada uma modificação ao algorítmo flood fill, comumente usado na competição do micromouse, que visa robôs com um conjunto de movimento limitado, inaptos a fazer curvas enquanto mantêm velocidade linear. O simulador foi utilizado no hackathon RoboSTEM, em que os diferentes desafios foram apresentados a estudantes, e as soluções elaboradas por eles continham observações imporotantes sobre os problemas apresentados e sobre o simulador em si

Development of an autonomous mobile robot with planning and location in a structured environment

Mestrado de dupla diplomação com a UTFPR - Universidade Tecnológica Federal do ParanáWith the advance of technology mobile robots have been increasingly applied in the industry, performing repetitive work with high performance, and in environments that pose risks to human health. The present work plans and develops a mobile robot platform for the micromouse competition. The micromouse consists of a small autonomous mobile robot that, when placed in an unknown labyrinth, is able to map it, search for the best path between the starting point and the goal and travel it in the shortest possible time. To accomplish these tasks, the robot must be able to self-locate, map the maze as it traverses it and plan paths based on the map obtained. The developed self-localization method is based on the odometry, the laser sensors present in the robot and on a previous knowledge of the start point and the configuration of the environment. Several methodologies of locomotion in unknown environment and route planning are analyzed in order to obtain the combination with the best performance. In order to verify the results, the present work is developed in real environment, in 3D simulation and also with a hardware in the loop capability. Labyrinths from previous competitions are used as basis for comparing methodologies and validating results. At the end it presents the algorithm capable of fulfilling all the requirements of the micromouse competition together with the results of its evaluation run.Com o avanço da tecnologia, os robôs móveis têm sido cada vez mais aplicados na indústria, realizando trabalhos repetitivos com alto desempenho e em ambientes que expõem riscos à saúde humana. O presente trabalho planeja e desenvolve um robô móvel para a competição micromouse. O micromouse consiste em um pequeno robô autônomo que, ao ser colocado em um labirinto desconhecido, é capaz de mapeá-lo, procurar o melhor caminho entre o ponto de partida e o objetivo, e percorrê-lo no menor tempo possível. Para realizar estas tarefas, o robô deve ser capaz de se auto-localizar, mapear o labirinto enquanto o percorre e planejar caminhos com base no mapa obtido. O método de auto-localização desenvolvido baseia-se na odometria, nos sensores a laser presentes no robô e em um prévio conhecimento do ponto de início e da configuração do ambiente. Diversas metodologias de locomoção em ambiente desconhecido e planejamento de rotas são analisadas buscando-se obter a combinação com o melhor desempenho. Para averiguação de resultados o presente trabalho desenvolve-se em ambiente real e em simulação 3D com hardware in the loop. Labirintos de competições anteriores são utilizados de base para o comparativo de metodologias e validação de resultados. Ao final apresenta-se o algoritmo capaz de cumprir todas as exigências da competição micromouse juntamente com os resultados em sua corrida de avaliação

Automatic behavior recognition in laboratory animals using kinect

Tese de Mestrado Integrado. Bioengenharia. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 201

Development of a Low-Cost Robotics Platform that Facilitates the Enhancement of Microcomputer Structures and Interfacing Learning Objectives

Robotics has become a common educational tool to teach basic concepts in mathematics, science, engineering, technology, world affairs, and much more. Programs such as For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) robotics are demonstrating that the recipe for student inspiration and learning involves robotics, problem solving, teamwork, and friendly competition. The successes of FIRST robotics programs and results from universities that have integrated robotics platforms into their curriculum provide evidence that infusing robotics platforms and curriculum into engineering departments better their capabilities and increase attractiveness to current and future students. This effort details the design and development of a low-cost robotics platform and seamless set of supporting curriculum. The platform and seamless curriculum set is implemented in the West Virginia University\u27s Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (LCSEE) microcomputer structures and interfacing laboratory, an undergraduate computer engineering course. The results provide detailed information on the robotics platform as well as detailed information on the seamless set of modules that make up the curriculum. The results demonstrate that a subset of students become significantly more motivated and are more willing to work additional hours to improve upon their design as compared to traditional laboratory sessions. These results are significant and demonstrate that robotics and seamless curriculum sets provide a solid platform to introduce computer engineering concepts that inspire and motivate students

Maze Mouse

This report is intended to provide an insight view of the Maze Mouse project. The first chapter serves astheintroduction to theproject, which covers the background of study, problem statement, and objectives and scope of study. The objective of this project is to produce a prototype of a mouse that can find itsown way out of a maze smoothly, butnot necessarily very quickly. This will be explained later in the report. This project requires strong basics in electronics, covering three important aspects of the mouse which are microcontroller, infrared sensor and stepper motor. The earlier partof the second chapter describes the details of the Sterling Mouse, an example of a mazemouse. The Sterling Mouse was created by Nick Smith as a participant in the Micromouse Competition held in the United States. The third chapter of this report presents the methodology used in completing thisMaze Mouse project. This includes the purchasing and procurement of the components, circuit construction, programming and integration of the mouse's separate circuits. In the next chapter, you will be provided with the details of the project work, which focuses on howthe prototype gets to work

Deep Reinforcement Learning using Capsules in Advanced Game Environments

Reinforcement Learning (RL) is a research area that has blossomed tremendously in recent years and has shown remarkable potential for artificial intelligence based opponents in computer games. This success is primarily due to vast capabilities of Convolutional Neural Networks (ConvNet), enabling algorithms to extract useful information from noisy environments. Capsule Network (CapsNet) is a recent introduction to the Deep Learning algorithm group and has only barely begun to be explored. The network is an architecture for image classification, with superior performance for classification of the MNIST dataset. CapsNets have not been explored beyond image classification. This thesis introduces the use of CapsNet for Q-Learning based game algorithms. To successfully apply CapsNet in advanced game play, three main contributions follow. First, the introduction of four new game environments as frameworks for RL research with increasing complexity, namely Flash RL, Deep Line Wars, Deep RTS, and Deep Maze. These environments fill the gap between relatively simple and more complex game environments available for RL research and are in the thesis used to test and explore the CapsNet behavior. Second, the thesis introduces a generative modeling approach to produce artificial training data for use in Deep Learning models including CapsNets. We empirically show that conditional generative modeling can successfully generate game data of sufficient quality to train a Deep Q-Network well. Third, we show that CapsNet is a reliable architecture for Deep Q-Learning based algorithms for game AI. A capsule is a group of neurons that determine the presence of objects in the data and is in the literature shown to increase the robustness of training and predictions while lowering the amount training data needed. It should, therefore, be ideally suited for game plays.Comment: Master Thesis in Computer Scienc

Advancements in Safe Deep Reinforcement Learning for Real-Time Strategy Games and Industry Applications

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Virtual Reality Games for Motor Rehabilitation

This paper presents a fuzzy logic based method to track user satisfaction without the need for devices to monitor users physiological conditions. User satisfaction is the key to any product’s acceptance; computer applications and video games provide a unique opportunity to provide a tailored environment for each user to better suit their needs. We have implemented a non-adaptive fuzzy logic model of emotion, based on the emotional component of the Fuzzy Logic Adaptive Model of Emotion (FLAME) proposed by El-Nasr, to estimate player emotion in UnrealTournament 2004. In this paper we describe the implementation of this system and present the results of one of several play tests. Our research contradicts the current literature that suggests physiological measurements are needed. We show that it is possible to use a software only method to estimate user emotion

Tools for Integrating Computational Thinking and Mathematics in the Middle Grades

Integrating computational thinking (CT) in teaching specific K-12 school curricular is a more recent development than teaching CT in university and college courses. In this article, we share some insights on teaching practices that support integrating introductory computational thinking activities with school curricular activities for middle grades students. We specifically reflect on the tools and materials to use when integrating computational thinking concepts and mathematics curricular concepts in grade 4-8 classrooms. In this paper, we refer to integration of computational thinking concepts and mathematics curricular concepts as CT and mathematics

Theta frequency prefrontal–hippocampal driving relationship during free exploration in mice

AbstractInter-connected brain areas coordinate to process information and synchronized neural activities engage in learning and memory processes. Recent electrophysiological studies in rodents have implicated hippocampal–prefrontal connectivity in anxiety, spatial learning and memory-related tasks. In human patients with schizophrenia and autism, robust reduced connectivity between the hippocampus (HPC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been reported. However little is known about the directionality of these oscillations and their roles during active behaviors remain unclear. Here the directional information processing in mice was measured by Granger causality, a mathematical tool that has been used in neuroscience to quantify the oscillatory driving relationship between the ventral HPC (vHPC) and the PFC in two anxiety tests and between the dorsal HPC (dHPC) and the PFC in social interaction test. In the open field test, stronger vHPC driving to the PFC was found in the center compartment than in the wall area. In the light–dark box test, PFC to vHPC causality was higher than vHPC to PFC causality although no difference was found between the light and dark areas for the causality in both directions. In the social interaction test using Cx3cr1 knockout mice which model for deficient microglia-dependent synaptic pruning, higher PFC driving to the dHPC was found than driving from the dHPC to the PFC in both knockout mice and wild-type mice. Cx3cr1 knockout mice showed reduced baseline PFC driving to the dHPC compared to their wild-type littermates. PFC to dHPC causality could predict the actual time spent interacting with the social stimuli. The current findings indicate that directed oscillatory activities between the PFC and the HPC have task-dependent roles during exploration in the anxiety test and in the social interaction test