A Doorway Detection and Direction (3Ds) System for Social Robots via a Monocular Camera

In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm to detect a door and its orientation in indoor settings from the view of a social robot equipped with only a monocular camera. The challenge is to achieve this goal with only a 2D image from a monocular camera. The proposed system is designed through the integration of several modules, each of which serves a special purpose. The detection of the door is addressed by training a convolutional neural network (CNN) model on a new dataset for Social Robot Indoor Navigation (SRIN). The direction of the door (from the robot’s observation) is achieved by three other modules: Depth module, Pixel-Selection module, and Pixel2Angle module, respectively. We include simulation results and real-time experiments to demonstrate the performance of the algorithm. The outcome of this study could be beneficial in any robotic navigation system for indoor environments

A Brain-Inspired Multi-Modal Perceptual System for Social Robots: An Experimental Realization

We propose a multi-modal perceptual system that is inspired by the inner working of the human brain; in particular, the hierarchical structure of the sensory cortex and the spatial-temporal binding criteria. The system is context independent and can be applied to many on-going problems in social robotics, including but not limited to person recognition, emotion recognition, and multi-modal robot doctor to name a few. The system encapsulates the parallel distributed processing of real-world stimuli through different sensor modalities and encoding them into features vectors which in turn are processed via a number of dedicated processing units (DPUs) through hierarchical paths. DPUs are algorithmic realizations of the cell assemblies in neuroscience. A plausible and realistic perceptual system is presented via the integration of the outputs from these units by spiking neural networks. We will also discuss other components of the system including top-down influences and the integration of information through temporal binding with fading memory and suggest two alternatives to realize these criteria. Finally, we will demonstrate the implementation of this architecture on a hardware platform as a social robot and report experimental studies on the system

SLAM in Dynamic Environments: A Deep Learning Approach for Moving Object Tracking Using ML-RANSAC Algorithm

The important problem of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) in dynamic environments is less studied than the counterpart problem in static settings. In this paper, we present a solution for the feature-based SLAM problem in dynamic environments. We propose an algorithm that integrates SLAM with multi-target tracking (SLAMMTT) using a robust feature-tracking algorithm for dynamic environments. A novel implementation of RANdomSAmple Consensus (RANSAC) method referred to as multilevel-RANSAC (ML-RANSAC) within the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) framework is applied for multi-target tracking (MTT). We also apply machine learning to detect features from the input data and to distinguish moving from stationary objects. The data stream from LIDAR and vision sensors are fused in real-time to detect objects and depth information. A practical experiment is designed to verify the performance of the algorithm in a dynamic environment. The unique feature of this algorithm is its ability to maintain tracking of features even when the observations are intermittent whereby many reported algorithms fail in such situations. Experimental validation indicates that the algorithm is able to perform consistent estimates in a fast and robust manner suggesting its feasibility for real-time applications

Weighted Multimodel Predictive Function Control for Automatic Train Operation System

Train operation is a complex nonlinear process; it is difficult to establish accurate mathematical model. In this paper, we design ATO speed controller based on the input and output data of the train operation. The method combines multimodeling with predictive functional control according to complicated nonlinear characteristics of the train operation. Firstly, we cluster the data sample by using fuzzy-c means algorithm. Secondly, we identify parameter of cluster model by using recursive least square algorithm with forgetting factor and then establish the local set of models of the process of train operation. Then at each sample time, we can obtain the global predictive model about the system based on the weighted indicators by designing a kind of weighting algorithm with error compensation. Thus, the predictive functional controller is designed to control the speed of the train. Finally, the simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm

Constraints on the χ_(c1) versus χ_(c2) polarizations in proton-proton collisions at √s = 8 TeV

The polarizations of promptly produced χ_(c1) and χ_(c2) mesons are studied using data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC, in proton-proton collisions at √s=8  TeV. The χ_c states are reconstructed via their radiative decays χ_c → J/ψγ, with the photons being measured through conversions to e⁺e⁻, which allows the two states to be well resolved. The polarizations are measured in the helicity frame, through the analysis of the χ_(c2) to χ_(c1) yield ratio as a function of the polar or azimuthal angle of the positive muon emitted in the J/ψ → μ⁺μ⁻ decay, in three bins of J/ψ transverse momentum. While no differences are seen between the two states in terms of azimuthal decay angle distributions, they are observed to have significantly different polar anisotropies. The measurement favors a scenario where at least one of the two states is strongly polarized along the helicity quantization axis, in agreement with nonrelativistic quantum chromodynamics predictions. This is the first measurement of significantly polarized quarkonia produced at high transverse momentum