8,810 research outputs found
Comparing Semi-Parametric Model Learning Algorithms for Dynamic Model Estimation in Robotics
Physical modeling of robotic system behavior is the foundation for
controlling many robotic mechanisms to a satisfactory degree. Mechanisms are
also typically designed in a way that good model accuracy can be achieved with
relatively simple models and model identification strategies. If the modeling
accuracy using physically based models is not enough or too complex, model-free
methods based on machine learning techniques can help. Of particular interest
to us was therefore the question to what degree semi-parametric modeling
techniques, meaning combinations of physical models with machine learning,
increase the modeling accuracy of inverse dynamics models which are typically
used in robot control. To this end, we evaluated semi-parametric Gaussian
process regression and a novel model-based neural network architecture, and
compared their modeling accuracy to a series of naive semi-parametric,
parametric-only and non-parametric-only regression methods. The comparison has
been carried out on three test scenarios, one involving a real test-bed and two
involving simulated scenarios, with the most complex scenario targeting the
modeling a simulated robot's inverse dynamics model. We found that in all but
one case, semi-parametric Gaussian process regression yields the most accurate
models, also with little tuning required for the training procedure
Proprioceptive Robot Collision Detection through Gaussian Process Regression
This paper proposes a proprioceptive collision detection algorithm based on
Gaussian Regression. Compared to sensor-based collision detection and other
proprioceptive algorithms, the proposed approach has minimal sensing
requirements, since only the currents and the joint configurations are needed.
The algorithm extends the standard Gaussian Process models adopted in learning
the robot inverse dynamics, using a more rich set of input locations and an
ad-hoc kernel structure to model the complex and non-linear behaviors due to
frictions in quasi-static configurations. Tests performed on a Universal Robots
UR10 show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm to detect when a
collision has occurred.Comment: Published at ACC 201
Derivative-free online learning of inverse dynamics models
This paper discusses online algorithms for inverse dynamics modelling in
robotics. Several model classes including rigid body dynamics (RBD) models,
data-driven models and semiparametric models (which are a combination of the
previous two classes) are placed in a common framework. While model classes
used in the literature typically exploit joint velocities and accelerations,
which need to be approximated resorting to numerical differentiation schemes,
in this paper a new `derivative-free' framework is proposed that does not
require this preprocessing step. An extensive experimental study with real data
from the right arm of the iCub robot is presented, comparing different model
classes and estimation procedures, showing that the proposed `derivative-free'
methods outperform existing methodologies.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figure
Human Motion Trajectory Prediction: A Survey
With growing numbers of intelligent autonomous systems in human environments,
the ability of such systems to perceive, understand and anticipate human
behavior becomes increasingly important. Specifically, predicting future
positions of dynamic agents and planning considering such predictions are key
tasks for self-driving vehicles, service robots and advanced surveillance
systems. This paper provides a survey of human motion trajectory prediction. We
review, analyze and structure a large selection of work from different
communities and propose a taxonomy that categorizes existing methods based on
the motion modeling approach and level of contextual information used. We
provide an overview of the existing datasets and performance metrics. We
discuss limitations of the state of the art and outline directions for further
research.Comment: Submitted to the International Journal of Robotics Research (IJRR),
37 page
Past, Present, and Future of Simultaneous Localization And Mapping: Towards the Robust-Perception Age
Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM)consists in the concurrent
construction of a model of the environment (the map), and the estimation of the
state of the robot moving within it. The SLAM community has made astonishing
progress over the last 30 years, enabling large-scale real-world applications,
and witnessing a steady transition of this technology to industry. We survey
the current state of SLAM. We start by presenting what is now the de-facto
standard formulation for SLAM. We then review related work, covering a broad
set of topics including robustness and scalability in long-term mapping, metric
and semantic representations for mapping, theoretical performance guarantees,
active SLAM and exploration, and other new frontiers. This paper simultaneously
serves as a position paper and tutorial to those who are users of SLAM. By
looking at the published research with a critical eye, we delineate open
challenges and new research issues, that still deserve careful scientific
investigation. The paper also contains the authors' take on two questions that
often animate discussions during robotics conferences: Do robots need SLAM? and
Is SLAM solved
Gait learning for soft microrobots controlled by light fields
Soft microrobots based on photoresponsive materials and controlled by light
fields can generate a variety of different gaits. This inherent flexibility can
be exploited to maximize their locomotion performance in a given environment
and used to adapt them to changing conditions. Albeit, because of the lack of
accurate locomotion models, and given the intrinsic variability among
microrobots, analytical control design is not possible. Common data-driven
approaches, on the other hand, require running prohibitive numbers of
experiments and lead to very sample-specific results. Here we propose a
probabilistic learning approach for light-controlled soft microrobots based on
Bayesian Optimization (BO) and Gaussian Processes (GPs). The proposed approach
results in a learning scheme that is data-efficient, enabling gait optimization
with a limited experimental budget, and robust against differences among
microrobot samples. These features are obtained by designing the learning
scheme through the comparison of different GP priors and BO settings on a
semi-synthetic data set. The developed learning scheme is validated in
microrobot experiments, resulting in a 115% improvement in a microrobot's
locomotion performance with an experimental budget of only 20 tests. These
encouraging results lead the way toward self-adaptive microrobotic systems
based on light-controlled soft microrobots and probabilistic learning control.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the IEEE/RSJ
International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems 201
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