Covert Perceptual Capability Development

In this paper, we propose a model to develop robots’ covert perceptual capability using reinforcement learning. Covert perceptual behavior is treated as action selected by a motivational system. We apply this model to vision-based navigation. The goal is to enable a robot to learn road boundary type. Instead of dealing with problems in controlled environments with a low-dimensional state space, we test the model on images captured in non-stationary environments. Incremental Hierarchical Discriminant Regression is used to generate states on the fly. Its coarse-to-fine tree structure guarantees real-time retrieval in high-dimensional state space. K Nearest-Neighbor strategy is adopted to further reduce training time complexity

A layered fuzzy logic controller for nonholonomic car-like robot

A system for real time navigation of a nonholonomic car-like robot in a dynamic environment consists of two layers is described: a Sugeno-type fuzzy motion planner; and a modified proportional navigation based fuzzy controller. The system philosophy is inspired by human routing when moving between obstacles based on visual information including right and left views to identify the next step to the goal. A Sugeno-type fuzzy motion planner of four inputs one output is introduced to give a clear direction to the robot controller. The second stage is a modified proportional navigation based fuzzy controller based on the proportional navigation guidance law and able to optimize the robot's behavior in real time, i.e. to avoid stationary and moving obstacles in its local environment obeying kinematics constraints. The system has an intelligent combination of two behaviors to cope with obstacle avoidance as well as approaching a target using a proportional navigation path. The system was simulated and tested on different environments with various obstacle distributions. The simulation reveals that the system gives good results for various simple environments

Overcoming barriers and increasing independence: service robots for elderly and disabled people

This paper discusses the potential for service robots to overcome barriers and increase independence of elderly and disabled people. It includes a brief overview of the existing uses of service robots by disabled and elderly people and advances in technology which will make new uses possible and provides suggestions for some of these new applications. The paper also considers the design and other conditions to be met for user acceptance. It also discusses the complementarity of assistive service robots and personal assistance and considers the types of applications and users for which service robots are and are not suitable

Review of real brain-controlled wheelchairs

This paper presents a review of the state of the art regarding wheelchairs driven by a brain-computer interface (BCI). Using a brain-controlled wheelchair (BCW), disabled users could handle a wheelchair through their brain activity, granting autonomy to move through an experimental environment. A classification is established, based on the characteristics of the BCW, such as the type of electroencephalographic (EEG) signal used, the navigation system employed by the wheelchair, the task for the participants, or the metrics used to evaluate the performance. Furthermore, these factors are compared according to the type of signal used, in order to clarify the differences among them. Finally, the trend of current research in this field is discussed, as well as the challenges that should be solved in the future

Vision-based interface applied to assistive robots

This paper presents two vision-based interfaces for disabled people to command a mobile robot for personal assistance. The developed interfaces can be subdivided according to the algorithm of image processing implemented for the detection and tracking of two different body regions. The first interface detects and tracks movements of the user's head, and these movements are transformed into linear and angular velocities in order to command a mobile robot. The second interface detects and tracks movements of the user's hand, and these movements are similarly transformed. In addition, this paper also presents the control laws for the robot. The experimental results demonstrate good performance and balance between complexity and feasibility for real-time applications.Fil: Pérez Berenguer, María Elisa. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Electrónica y Automática. Gabinete de Tecnología Médica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Soria, Carlos Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Instituto de Automática. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Automática; ArgentinaFil: López Celani, Natalia Martina. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Electrónica y Automática. Gabinete de Tecnología Médica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Nasisi, Oscar Herminio. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Automática; ArgentinaFil: Mut, Vicente Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Instituto de Automática. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Automática; Argentin