Smart Computing and Sensing Technologies for Animal Welfare: A Systematic Review

Animals play a profoundly important and intricate role in our lives today. Dogs have been human companions for thousands of years, but they now work closely with us to assist the disabled, and in combat and search and rescue situations. Farm animals are a critical part of the global food supply chain, and there is increasing consumer interest in organically fed and humanely raised livestock, and how it impacts our health and environmental footprint. Wild animals are threatened with extinction by human induced factors, and shrinking and compromised habitat. This review sets the goal to systematically survey the existing literature in smart computing and sensing technologies for domestic, farm and wild animal welfare. We use the notion of \emph{animal welfare} in broad terms, to review the technologies for assessing whether animals are healthy, free of pain and suffering, and also positively stimulated in their environment. Also the notion of \emph{smart computing and sensing} is used in broad terms, to refer to computing and sensing systems that are not isolated but interconnected with communication networks, and capable of remote data collection, processing, exchange and analysis. We review smart technologies for domestic animals, indoor and outdoor animal farming, as well as animals in the wild and zoos. The findings of this review are expected to motivate future research and contribute to data, information and communication management as well as policy for animal welfare

Sound source localization through shape reconfiguration in a snake robot

This paper describes a snake robot system that uses sound source localization. We show in this paper as to how we can localize a sound source in 3D and solve the classic forward backward problem in sound source localization using minimum number of audio sensors by using the multiple degrees of freedom of the snake robot. We describe the hardware and software architecture of the robot and show the results of several sound tracking experiments we did with our snake robot. We also present biologically inspired sound tracking behavior in different postures of a biological snake robot as "Digital Snake Charming"

Modelling Wireless Robots for Urban Search and Rescue in Artificial Rubble

Using robots to assist rescue personnel in USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) missions is an active area of research. Researchers are developing robots to penetrate into rubble to gather information about the environment and to search for victims. The School of Engineering and Computer Science of Victoria University of Wellington is developing a team of robots, the "robot family" to help at disasters. The robot family is a three-tier system. The first tier the "grandmother" which carries second tier "mother robots" to the rubble. The mother robot each launches a group of the third tier "daughter robots" that will penetrate the rubble surface. The daughter robots will burrow deep into the disaster site. They will be equipped with sensors to search for and locate trapped persons. They are designed to be small, battery operated, low cost and disposable. The team of robots is hierarchically structured and to be remotely monitored by rescue personnel at a safe distance from the rubble via a wireless communication link. This thesis describes the successful implementation of a wireless communication platform for the team of robots. This was verified using a simulated rubble site. A suitable ZigBee wireless module was selected by comparing a list of target brands to form the wireless network. A group of simulated wireless daughter robot models were developed by attaching wireless modules to microcontrollers. An automatic routing wireless network was implemented between the robots. They were deployed into artificial rubble and the communication system was characterised. Proof of concept experiments were carried out and demonstrated that rescue personnel using a computer at a safe distance outside the rubble could successfully establish reliable communication to monitor or control all robots inside the artificial rubble environment

Toward a Distributed Actuation and Cognition Means for a Miniature Soft Robot

This thesis presents components of an on-going research project aimed towards developing a miniature soft robot for urban search and rescue (USAR). The three significant contributions of the thesis are verifying the water hammer actuation previous work, developing an estimator of water hammer impulse direction from hose shape, and creating the infrastructure for distributed cognitive networks. There are many technical issues in designing soft robots, in terms of perception, actuation, cognition, power, physical structure and so on. We are focusing on actuation and cognition issues in this thesis. We investigated water hammer actuation as an alternative system which provides a continuously distributed form of actuation results from water hammer effect. It is special because it is a soft actuation method. We generated some comparison experiments and verified the benefits of the water hammer actuation, and also designed our soft robot to be hose-like in order to utilize the water hammer actuator. For the cognition part, we first addressed and verified that the shape of the hose-like robot has impact on impulse direction from the water hammer actuation. And then we implemented an emulated synthetic neural network (ESNN) to analyze the direction of the impulse from the water hammer actuation. Then in order to achieve the long-term goal, we distributed the emulated synthetic neural network onto many embedded system boards to achieve a distributed cognitive network. The distributed nodes in the network are using Bluetooth communication. In the comparison experiments between the active tether system and passive tether system, we can clearly see the benefits of active tether in momentum transfer and friction reduction. For example, in the drag test, with the water hammer actuation the burden that the tether can pull was increased by about 1.6 times. For the distributed cognitive network, we successfully built an emulated synthetic neural network on distributed embedded system boards. With the shape information as the inputs, the difference on outputs from the ESNN and the experimental results is less than 3%

Enabling personalised medical support for chronic disease management through a hybrid robot-cloud approach

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SLAM research for port AGV based on 2D LIDAR

With the increase in international trade, the transshipment of goods at international container ports is very busy. The AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) has been used as a new generation of automated container horizontal transport equipment. The AGV is an automated unmanned vehicle that can work 24 hours a day, increasing productivity and reducing labor costs compared to using container trucks. The ability to obtain information about the surrounding environment is a prerequisite for the AGV to automatically complete tasks in the port area. At present, the method of AGV based on RFID tag positioning and navigation has a problem of excessive cost. This dissertation has carried out a research on applying light detection and ranging (LIDAR) simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology to port AGV. In this master's thesis, a mobile test platform based on a laser range finder is developed to scan 360-degree environmental information (distance and angle) centered on the LIDAR and upload the information to a real-time database to generate surrounding environmental maps, and the obstacle avoidance strategy was developed based on the acquired information. The effectiveness of the platform was verified by the experiments from multiple scenarios. Then based on the first platform, another experimental platform with encoder and IMU sensor was developed. In this platform, the functionality of SLAM is enabled by the GMapping algorithm and the installation of the encoder and IMU sensor. Based on the established environment SLAM map, the path planning and obstacle avoidance functions of the platform were realized.Com o aumento do comércio internacional, o transbordo de mercadorias em portos internacionais de contentores é muito movimentado. O AGV (“Automated Guided Vehicle”) foi usado como uma nova geração de equipamentos para transporte horizontal de contentores de forma automatizada. O AGV é um veículo não tripulado automatizado que pode funcionar 24 horas por dia, aumentando a produtividade e reduzindo os custos de mão-de-obra em comparação com o uso de camiões porta-contentores. A capacidade de obter informações sobre o ambiente circundante é um pré-requisito para o AGV concluir automaticamente tarefas na área portuária. Atualmente, o método de AGV baseado no posicionamento e navegação de etiquetas RFID apresenta um problema de custo excessivo. Nesta dissertação foi realizada uma pesquisa sobre a aplicação da tecnologia LIDAR de localização e mapeamento simultâneo (SLAM) num AGV. Uma plataforma de teste móvel baseada num telémetro a laser é desenvolvida para examinar o ambiente em redor em 360 graus (distância e ângulo), centrado no LIDAR, e fazer upload da informação para uma base de dados em tempo real para gerar um mapa do ambiente em redor. Uma estratégia de prevenção de obstáculos foi também desenvolvida com base nas informações adquiridas. A eficácia da plataforma foi verificada através da realização de testes com vários cenários e obstáculos. Por fim, com base na primeira plataforma, uma outra plataforma experimental com codificador e sensor IMU foi também desenvolvida. Nesta plataforma, a funcionalidade do SLAM é ativada pelo algoritmo GMapping e pela instalação do codificador e do sensor IMU. Com base no estabelecimento do ambiente circundante SLAM, foram realizadas as funções de planeamento de trajetória e prevenção de obstáculos pela plataforma

Robotic Wireless Sensor Networks

In this chapter, we present a literature survey of an emerging, cutting-edge, and multi-disciplinary field of research at the intersection of Robotics and Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) which we refer to as Robotic Wireless Sensor Networks (RWSN). We define a RWSN as an autonomous networked multi-robot system that aims to achieve certain sensing goals while meeting and maintaining certain communication performance requirements, through cooperative control, learning and adaptation. While both of the component areas, i.e., Robotics and WSN, are very well-known and well-explored, there exist a whole set of new opportunities and research directions at the intersection of these two fields which are relatively or even completely unexplored. One such example would be the use of a set of robotic routers to set up a temporary communication path between a sender and a receiver that uses the controlled mobility to the advantage of packet routing. We find that there exist only a limited number of articles to be directly categorized as RWSN related works whereas there exist a range of articles in the robotics and the WSN literature that are also relevant to this new field of research. To connect the dots, we first identify the core problems and research trends related to RWSN such as connectivity, localization, routing, and robust flow of information. Next, we classify the existing research on RWSN as well as the relevant state-of-the-arts from robotics and WSN community according to the problems and trends identified in the first step. Lastly, we analyze what is missing in the existing literature, and identify topics that require more research attention in the future

Estudio de sistemas de comunicaciones para aplicación en robótica cooperativa

En este proyecto se estudian, implementan y evalúan varios sistemas de comunicación para poder aplicarlos prioritariamente en robots cooperativos. Para llevarlo a cabo se ha analizado y comparado el estado del arte de diversos sistemas de comunicación enfocados siempre al enlace entre robots. A su vez se ha realizado un estudio tanto de los diversos protocolos usados, como de los módulos y dispositivos existentes, donde están implementado esos protocolos, que hacen posible esa transmisión de información, y por tanto, esa comunicación. Este estudio además ha ido acompañado de una parte experimental sobre diferentes equipos. Como punto de partida del proyecto se ha realizado un estudio de los diferentes sistemas que han ido marcando el estado del arte, haciendo especial hincapié en aquellos que se emplean mas en el ámbito de la robótica cooperativa. Dicho estudio tambien abarca la evolución de cada una de las tecnologías, desde su primera implementación, hasta el día de hoy. Una vez entendido el estado del arte desde el punto de vista teórico, el siguiente paso ha sido elaborar una tabla global parametrizada para comparar todos los sistemas entre sí. De esta manera, se puede tener una visión general y conjunta de dichos sistemas y poder escoger el que más se adapte a las necesidades para su posterior implementación. Seguida e independientemente de la comparativa anterior, se han diseñado todos y cada uno de los sistemas propuestos inicialmente dando módulos y dispositivos concretos, evaluando sus características y de niendo las conexiones de sus pines. Finalmente, dependiendo de factores que se explicarán en el proyecto, se han desarrollado y con gurado los módulos y dispositivos correspondientes al mismo tiempo que se han estudiado los softwares utilizados para su con guración. Para la parte experimental se han llevado a cabo tres etapas. Durante la primera etapa el objetivo es evaluar la distancia máxima de alcance de los sistemas de comunicación escogidos comparándolos con sus hojas de especi caciones. En la segunda etapa se estudiará la potencia de recepción RSSI de los dispositivos remotos y su posible o no pérdida de paquetes. En la última etapa se pretende obtener el rendimiento del sistema así como su velocidad de transmisión de datos práctica para así, evaluar en el sistema en conjunto. Finalmente, se presentan las conclusiones extraídas a lo largo de este proyecto, así como las posibles líneas de trabajo futuro.In this thesis, several communication systems are studied, implemented and evaluated to apply them to cooperative robots. In order to carry out this, various state-of-the-art communication systems have been analysed and compared; focusing always on the link between robots. At the same time, it was conducted a research about the diverse protocols in which they act as well as the existent modules and devices where these protocols are implemented. They enable this transmission of information and, thus, that communication. As a starting point, the project begins by the study of the di erent systems which have been setting the state of art; highlighting those more applicable to the eld of cooperative robotics. Such a study does also cover the development of each of the technologies, from their rst implementation to date. Once understood the state of art from the theoretical point of view, what followed was the comparison of all of them. In this way, a joint global view of those systems is obtained in order to, in terms of certain factors, be able to choose and implement three di erent communications systems. Consecutively and independently from the previous comparison, the proposed systems have been designed one by one giving concrete modules and devices, evaluating their characteristics and de ning the connections of their pins. Finally, depending on the factors which will be explained in the thesis, the relevant modules and devices have been developed and con gured at the same time that the used software products have been studied to their con guration. The experimental part has been conducted in three stages. During the rst phase, the aim is to evaluate the scope of the chosen communications systems, comparing them to their speci cation sheets. The second stage focuses on the received signal strength RSSI of the remote devices and their possible packet loss. In the last phase, the system throughput is aimed to be obtained as well as its data transmission speed to evaluate the system as a whole. Last but not least, concussions from all over the thesis are presented just as the possible future line of work

RecoNode: Towards an Autonomous Multi-Robot Team Agent for USAR

Urban search and rescue (USAR) robots can benefit from small size as it facilitates movement in cramped quarters. Yet, small size limits actuator power, sensor payloads, computational capacity and battery life. We are alleviating these issues by developing the hardware and software infrastructure for high performance, heterogeneous, dynamically-reconfigurable miniature USAR robots, as well as a host of other relevant applications. In this thesis, a generic modular embedded system architecture based on the RecoNode multiprocessor is proposed, which consists of a set of hardware and software modules that can be configured to construct various types of robot systems for dynamic and unforeseen changes in the USAR environment. The benefit of this Reconfigurable Node is that, at run-time, the system can react to unexpected changes in configuration, such as nodes exhausting their batteries or the failure of sensors. These modules include a high performance microprocessor supporting complete on board processing for autonomous control, a reconfigurable hardware component, and diverse sensor and actuator interfaces. The design of all the modules in the electrical subsystem allows for the replacement of the motion control and serial communication capabilities within a dedicated FPGA logic module, which helps gain system performance by releasing the CPU from these tasks. The selection of module components and real-time scheduler and operating system (OS) are described. The portable power supply solution is also designed and tested

FLYING ROBOT INDICATING ACCIDENT AREA USING GPS AND ZIGBEE

Robotics can play important, intelligent and technical roles that support first response equipment in harsh and dangerous environments while replacing rescue personnel from entering unreachable or unsafe places. Solving and fulfilling the needs of such tasks presents challenges in robotic mechanical structure and mobility, sensors and sensor fusion, autonomous and semi autonomous control, planning and navigation, and machine intelligence.  Unmanned Aerial photography (UAPs) are rapidly becoming a key technology in the military domain and offer great promises are a useful technology in many commercial and civil applications in future. Development of a suitable lightweight system in which a sensor is airborne for carrying out surveillance. The ir transmitter transmits the ir signals continuously to the maximum level of 3 ft. When the ir signals are reflected back by an object then the signals is received by the ir receiver, thus the module senses the obstacle. An embedded system has been developed which observes an a object, the system also send an alert message to the authorized user  through gsm such that remedy measures could be easily take