Emergence of communication in RObots through Sensorimotor and Social Interaction (ROSSI)

Starting from the assumption that cognition is embodied, the ROSSI project addresses the question how the possibility of communication between agents (e.g. humans and robots) is effected by differences in sensorimotor capacities.This is an important issue, given that robots are expected to become more common in non-structured environments, such as homes or hospitals. While there is a trend towards humanoid robots, it is clear that for the foreseeable future there will still be substantial differences in physical embodiment between robots and humans.To explore to what extent concepts must be shared to facilitate communication, we will build robots with sensorimotor systems structurally roughly similar to human beings. Furthermore, the control mechanisms for these robots will be based on insights into the neural mechanisms underlying human concepts and language.In particular, two types of neurons in premotor cortex will be modelled: (1) canonical neurons, which are active during both the execution of specific object-directed actions and the mere visual observation of the same objects, and (2) mirror neurons, which are involved in both an agent's own actions and the visual observation of such actions performed by others.In this framework, the project's aims are twofold. First, behavioural and neurophysiological experiments will provide new evidence and insights into the grounding of human conceptualization and language. Second, computational modelling of the underlying neural mechanisms will provide novel approaches to grounding of robotic conceptualization and language.More specifically, the project aims at building robots endowed with the sensorimotor and neural/computational mechanisms that allow them to: (a) flexibly manipulate and use objects in the environment, (b) use a simple form of language, i.e. nouns and verbs referring to objects and object-oriented actions, (c) use such concepts and verbal labels in social interaction with humans.EU, Funded under :FP7-ICT-2007-

Final Report Summary - ITHRUI (Towards Better Robot Manipulation: Improvement through Interaction)

This project aims to investigate how learning can be used to improve and expand the manipulation abilities of a robot-out-of-a-box. Robots, like all other gadgets, will come out of their box with a certain amount of built-in knowledge that will enable them to perform a set of tasks with a reasonable performance at the push of a button. The project argues that, the robot-out-of-a-box should come with both (1) a set of built-in capabilities that would enable it to solve manipulation tasks in unstructured human environments, as well as (2) the learning ability to extend and improve, and with guarantees not to hinder, its capabilities through its interactions over the lifetime of the robot with minimal user effort. Moreover, foreseeing that manipulation capabilities of robots will remain inferior to those of humans in the near future, and the project aims to extend their capabilities of the robots through simple forms of communications that enable them to “manipulate humans”.MC-IOF - International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF) ( FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IOFl

Mobile robot range sensing through visual looming

This article describes and evaluates visual looming as a monocular range sensing method for mobile robots. The looming algorithm is based on the relationship between the displacement of a camera relative to an object, and the resulting change in the size of the object's image on the focal plane of the camera. We have carried out systematic experiments to evaluate the ranging accuracy of the looming algorithm using a Pioneer 1 mobile robot equipped with a color camera. We have also performed noise sensitivity for the looming algorithm, obtaining theoretical error bounds on the range estimates for given levels of odometric and visual noise, which were verified through experimental data. Our results suggest that looming can be used as a robust, inexpensive range sensor as a complement to sonar

Procjena boje i visine feromonske klopke iznad zemlje za ulov Ips sexdentatus i Thanasimus formicarius

The six-toothed pine bark beetle Ips sexdentatus is one of the most devastating bark beetles of Eurasian pine forests. Pheromone traps are used to monitor and control Ips sexdentatus populations. In this study, the effect of trap color and trap height on the capture of Ips exdentatus and its predator the ant beetle Thanasimus formicarius was investigated. The research was conducted in Pinus sylvestris stands within Yayla Forest Enterprise Chief (Kastamonu-Daday) in Turkey. In the study area, 25 Scandinavian type three-funnel traps of 5 different colors (yellow, white, green, black, and red traps with five replications) were used. Traps were placed at the same height, 1.5 m above ground. For the second part of the study, a total of 20 traps (5 per height category) was placed 1.0 m, 1.5 m, 2.0 m, and 2.5 m above ground. Traps were controlled at intervals of 7-10 days and captured Ips exdentatus and Thanasimus formicarius were counted. The results of the study were as follows: 1) Significant differences in the number of captures by trap color, and 2) No significant differences in the numbers of Ips sexdentatus and Thanasimus formicarius captured between the trap heights.Šesterozubi borov potkornjak Ips sexdentatus jedan je od najrazornijih potkornjaka u euroazijskim borovim šumama. Za praćenje populacija Ips sexdentatus koriste se feromonske klopke. U ovom radu istraživali smo utjecaj boje i visine klopki na ulov Ips sexdentatus i njegovog predatora Thanasimus formicarius. Istraživanje je provedeno u sastojinama Pinus sylvestris unutar Yayla Forest Enterprise Chief (Kastamonu-Daday) u Turskoj. U području istraživanja koristili smo 25 skandinavskih klopki s tri lijevka u pet različitih boja (žute, bijele, zelene, crne i crvene klopke). Klopke su postavljene na istu visinu, 1,5 m iznad zemlje. U drugom dijelu istraživanja postavljeno je ukupno 20 klopki (5 po visinskoj kategoriji) na visine od 1,0 m, 1,5 m, 2,0 m, i 2,5 m iznad zemlje. Klopke smo kontrolirali u intervalima od 7-10 dana i izbrojali smo jedinke Ips sexdentatus i T. formicarius. Dobiveni podaci su obrađeni Kruskal-Wallisovim testovima i testovima višestrukih usporedbi. Rezultati ispitivanja su sljedeći: 1) Značajne razlike u broju ulova u odnosu na boju klopki, 2) Postoji značajan i pozitivni odnos između štetnika i predatora, 3) Nisu utvrđene značajne razlike u broju uhvaćenih jedinki Ips sexdentatus i T. formicarius u odnosu na visine klopki

VIEWS OF FOREIGN STUDENTS LEARNING TURKISH ON TURKISH INSTRUCTORS

In language teaching, in addition to the curriculum, the use of equipment, the attitudes and views of the instructor/educators and students about one another have a significance of its own. In an attempt to identify and examine the students' views on Turkish instructors in the process of teaching Turkish as a foreign language, this study aimed to reveal the relationship between the views of foreign students learning Turkish in Turkey on their instructors, in terms of gender, age and education level by using the relational scanning design. The data were collected from a total of 415 students who came to the Turkish Teaching Implementation and Research Center (ULUTÖMER) of Bursa Uludağ University in order to learn Turkish in the spring semester of 2020-2021. A triple point questionnaire consisting of 39 items was utilized to identify the views of foreign students towards their instructors. The questionnaire consisted of items related to the interaction of the students with their instructors, the cultural sensitivity of the instructors, the classroom management aa well as the teaching skills of the instructors. Before the questionnaire items were applied, they were presented to the expert opinion and the questionnaire items were finalized in accordance with the feedback of the experts. Participants were informed about the study and the link of the            questionnaire form was shared with them. For the analysis of the data, a descriptive analysis was performed for the variables of age, gender and education level. The frequencies and percentages of the answers given by the participants to the questions were established and the χ2 (chi-square) test was carried out to identify whether there was a significant relationship between the responses of the participants in terms of gender, age and education level. Cramer's V coefficient was utilized to calculate the strength of the relationship between the variables in the chi-square test used. In the statistical analyzes used in the study, the level of significance was accepted as 0.05

EFFECTS ON THE SURFACE QUALITY IN THE MACHINING PROCESSES OF THE TOOL VIBRATIONS

The problem of surface quality and cutting stability in the machining processes is very important and is strictly connected with the final quality of the product. Therefore, this paper describes a new theoretical model for the dynamic cutting forces of orthogonal cutting in turning. A specific advantage for the presented model is the convenience for vibration prediction. The presented dynamic force model is used to predict variable cutting forces with dynamic cutting between cutting tool and workpiece.  This model is considered two degree of freedom complex dynamic model of turning with orthogonal cutting system. The complex dynamic system consists of dynamic cutting system force model which is based on the shear angle (φ) oscillations and the penetration forces which are caused by the tool flank contact with the wavy surface

Using learned affordances for robotic behavior development

“Developmental robotics” proposes that, instead of trying to build a robot that shows intelligence once and for all, what one must do is to build robots that can develop. These robots should be equipped with behaviors that are simple but enough to bootstrap the system. Then, as the robot interacts with its environment, it should display increasingly complex behaviors. In this paper, we propose such a development scheme for a mobile robot. J.J. Gibson’s concept of “affordances” provides the basis of this development scheme, and we use a formalization of affordances to make the robot learn about the dynamics of its interactions with its environment. We show that an autonomous robot can start with pre-coded primitive behaviors, and as it executes its behaviors randomly in an environment, it can learn the affordance relations between the environment and its behaviors. We then present two ways of using these learned structures, in achieving more complex, intentional behaviors. In the first case, the robot still uses its pre-coded primitive behaviors only, but the sequencing of these primitive behaviors are such that new more complex behaviors emerge. In the second case, the robot makes a “blending” of its pre-coded primitive behaviors to create new behaviors that can be more effective in reaching its goal than any of the pre-coded behaviors

Typography and Spatial Perception

İnsanoğlunun mağara duvarlarında başlattığı iletişim serüveni, günümüze kadar çeşitli evrimler geçirmiş, kullandığı teknik ve yöntemler süregelen teknolojilerle birlikte biçimsel değişikliklere uğramıştır. Bugün tüm mekânlarda, iletişimin omurgasını oluşturan tipografi, mekânların atmosferini tamamen değiştirerek bir iletişim aracından çok daha fazlasını teşkil etmeye başlamıştır. Bu sebeple tipografiye yalnızca salt bir iletişim aracı gözüyle bakamayacağımız gibi, onun biçimsel estetik özelliklerini ve sonucunda oluşturduğu duygusal etkileşimi de asla göz ardı edemeyiz. Öyle ki tipografi mekânda fiziksel bir unsur olmaktan öteye geçip, çoğu zaman izleyicisiyle kurduğu duygusal etkileşimle, mekânın kalbi, dili ve ruhu olmaktadır. İşte tipografi bütün bu süreçte alışılagelmiş kâğıt yüzeyinden çıkarak, bazen iki boyutlu bir biçimde duvarları, sütunları kullanır, bazen de üç boyutlu bir formla mekânın bizzat kendisi olur ve izleyicisiyle daha farklı bir duygusal bağ kurar. Bu çalışmayla, mekânlarda farklı malzeme ve tekniklerin birlikte kullanıldığı tipografiden örnekler seçilerek, bu örnekler üzerinden tipografinin mekânla iletişimi, etkileşimi çözümlenmeye çalışılmış ve mekân estetiğindeki önemine dikkat çekilerek oluşturduğu zihinsel ve duygusal etkileşim amaçlanmıştır.Since cave walls, communication among Humankind has evolved and the techniques and methods adopted have gone through stylistic changes with technologies. Typography has transformed communication by changing the spaces’ atmosphere. Typography also affects communication through its stylistic aesthetic features and emotional interactions. Typography establishes emotional interaction with its audience and often becomes the spaces’ heart, language and spirit. Typography can use walls, ceiling etc. in a two-dimensional way, turn into a three-dimensional form and establish unique emotional bonds with audience. It can also change its dimensions and becomes the space itself by entering massive forms or shapes. In this study, typographic examples reflecting various materials and techniques were selected, the communication and interaction of typography with space were tried to be resolved through such examples and it was aimed to draw attention to the significance of typography in the aesthetics of space and the mental and emotional interactions with audience

An analysis of language and speech disorders in preschool children in Turkey: The case of Beypazarı

The children with early language and speech delay have the risk to face with learning disabilities as well as psychological and behavioral adjustment problems in the preschool period. The aim of this study to analyse the language and speech disoders in the children aged between 3 and 6 years who attend kindergarden. 503 children who attend the kindergarden were determined in Beypazarı. However, 101 children were out of study for various reasons (N:402). The implementation of the study consists of two stages. In the first stage, the language and speech development of the children was questioned. The Turkish Preschool Language Scale–5 (TPLS-5) test was administered to the risky children in the second stage. A moderate (0,300) and a significant correlation (p0) and significant correlation (p<0,01) was found between the chronological and expressive language of the children. The language and speech disorder has an important potential negative effect on families and societies both in the short and the long term. For this reason, it is quite important to follow the language and speech development of children closely in the preschool period