Towards a Formal Verification Methodology for Collective Robotic Systems

We introduce a UML-based notation for graphically modeling systems’ security aspects in a simple and intuitive way and a model-driven process that transforms graphical specifications of access control policies in XACML. These XACML policies are then translated in FACPL, a policy language with a formal semantics, and the resulting policies are evaluated by means of a Java-based software tool

Evolution of behaviour trees for collective transport with robot swarms

Swarm robotics, inspired by natural swarms, studies how simple robots with only local sensing capabilities and no centralised control may cooperate to achieve a common goal in a robust, flexible and scalable way. A robotic system with such properties constitutes an interesting alternative to the platforms currently used in warehouses and distribution plants, where workers are at risk of injury and the space and budget available for complex infrastructure is limited. Swarm behaviours are emergent, which makes the task of designing the controllers of the individual robots particularly challenging. In this work, we propose a method for a swarm of industrial robots to collectively transport items that are too heavy for a single agent to carry. We use artificial evolution to evolve behaviour tree controllers for the swarm agents and we conceive a decentralised coordination strategy based on local messaging. The method is developed and tested in a simulated environment, using a combination of freely available open source libraries. The results show that a homogeneous swarm equipped with our solution is able to successfully find the items placed in the environment and transport them back to a nest region. We suggest further tuning of the evolutionary parameters and the introduction of noise in the simulator in order to improve the observed performance of the controllers in simulation and their expected performance the real worldObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::9 - Indústria, Innovació i Infraestructur

Cooperative Object Transport in Multi-robot Systems:A Review of the State-of-the-Art

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in designing multi-robot systems (hereafter MRSs) to provide cost effective, fault-tolerant and reliable solutions to a variety of automated applications. Here, we review recent advancements in MRSs specifically designed for cooperative object transport, which requires the members of MRSs to coordinate their actions to transport objects from a starting position to a final destination. To achieve cooperative object transport, a wide range of transport, coordination and control strategies have been proposed. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive summary for this relatively heterogeneous and fast-growing body of scientific literature. While distilling the information, we purposefully avoid using hierarchical dichotomies, which have been traditionally used in the field of MRSs. Instead, we employ a coarse-grain approach by classifying each study based on the transport strategy used; pushing-only, grasping and caging. We identify key design constraints that may be shared among these studies despite considerable differences in their design methods. In the end, we discuss several open challenges and possible directions for future work to improve the performance of the current MRSs. Overall, we hope to increase the visibility and accessibility of the excellent studies in the field and provide a framework that helps the reader to navigate through them more effectivelypublishersversionPeer reviewe

TRANSPORTE COOPERATIVO DE OBJETOS CON UNA PLATAFORMA MÓVIL EN UN ENTORNO ESTRUCTURADO

La robótica cooperativa busca diseñar sistemas compuestos de varios robots capaces de resolver problemas conjuntamente, de tal manera que dicha implementación puede llevar consigo distintos tipos de control (centralizado o distribuido), de esta manera una de las aplicaciones en esta línea de investigación es el transporte de objetos mediante distintas estrategias que van desde el empuje, la sujeción y arrastre de los objetos; tales trabajos se han presentado desde la década de los 90 hasta el día de hoy. El enfoque del presente artículo busca mostrar el desarrollo e implementación de una plataforma robótica cooperativa aplicada al transporte de objetos largos a través de un entorno estructurado utilizando las herramientas que provee el kit Lego Mindstorms RCX 2.0 y el grupo de investigación en robótica móvil autónoma ROMA

Fantasy and Desire in the construction of Sustainable Urban Development : A Discourse Theoretical Analysis of Sustainable Urban Development in Southern Norway

This thesis details a discourse analysis of the discourse on sustainable urban development, amongst participants of a co-creative arena called Southern City Network. For over four years, participants of this arena have attempted to arrive at a joint commitment on how sustainable urban development should be understood and acted on within the arena. I propose that this inertia can be explored by investigating how sustainable urban development is enacted in discourse, while paying close attention to the affective dimension of language-use. The overall research theme of the thesis targets meaning and conflict in discursive practices, while highlighting the affective dimension of language-use. The casestudy and overall research themes are positioned within the post-foundational Discourse Theory of Ernesto Laclau and supplemented with readings of a Lacanian-orientation. The aim of the research strategy is to identify points of sedimentation and contestation to the discursive practice on sustainable urban development, amongst the participants of the arena, and to explore how contestations are discursively navigated during arena activities. The goal is to reflect on the role of fantasy and desire in this navigation. The research questions ask: - How is sustainable urban development discursively constructed amongst planning agents in Southern City Network? - What are the key areas of contestation to this construction? - What is the role of fantasy and desire in this construction?publishedVersio

Transport in Capitalism: Transport Policy as Social Policy

Transport is the only sector that has not yet contributed to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. To understand why sustainable transport has not been developed yet, the author highlights the special features of the transport sector and describes the political conditions for a successful change in transport development. He makes clear that technical innovations alone will not be enough; rather, transport policy must be practised as social policy

The Links Between Collective Bargaining and Equaliy

Working paper by Adelle Blackett and Colleen Sheppard, prepared for the ILO, analyzes the links between collective bargaining and equaliy at international level and addresses the efforts to monitor and regulate the right of association and collective bargaining

Exploring 'Unseen' Social Capital in Community Participation

This book argues that using social capital to eradicate poverty is less likely to succeed because the mainstream neoinstitutional approach mistakenly assumes that social capital necessarily benefits poor people. This inadequacy calls for a re-assessment of human motivations, institutional dynamics and structural complexity in social capital building. Using ethnographic and participatory methods, this book calls for an exploration of 'unseen' social capital which is intended to challenge the mainstream understanding of 'seen' social capital. As such this book is useful to policy makers and practitioners

The existence of Roma in youth justice discourses

Critical scholars have repeatedly emphasised the importance of how various categories become constructed. This paper discusses the ‘existence’ of ‘the other’ in youth justice discourses. Drawing on qualitative analysis of police, prosecution, youth court and social services discourses, this paper discusses the positioning of migrant youths, referred to youth court on suspicion of having committed an offence. The talk particularly focuses on Czech and Slovak Roma in two legal departments in Belgium. I discuss in what types of cases and discourses the case of Roma (i.e. references to ethnicity and popular images of the ‘Roma culture’) exists and in what instances it seizes to exist. Particular attention is directed to the constitutions, circularity and contexts of ethnicising discourses throughout youth justice trajectories, as well as their performative nature