Three-dimensional motor schema based navigation

Reactive schema-based navigation is possible in space domains by extending the methods developed for ground-based navigation found within the Autonomous Robot Architecture (AuRA). Reformulation of two dimensional motor schemas for three dimensional applications is a straightforward process. The manifold advantages of schema-based control persist, including modular development, amenability to distributed processing, and responsiveness to environmental sensing. Simulation results show the feasibility of this methodology for space docking operations in a cluttered work area

An Intervening Ethical Governor for a Robot Mediator in Patient-Caregiver Relationships

© Springer International Publishing AG 2015DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-46667-5_6Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) experience challenges when interacting with caregivers due to their declining control over their musculature. To remedy those challenges, a robot mediator can be used to assist in the relationship between PD patients and their caregivers. In this context, a variety of ethical issues can arise. To overcome one issue in particular, providing therapeutic robots with a robot architecture that can ensure patients’ and caregivers’ dignity is of potential value. In this paper, we describe an intervening ethical governor for a robot that enables it to ethically intervene, both to maintain effective patient–caregiver relationships and prevent the loss of dignity

A Framework for Situation-based Social Interaction

This paper presents a theoretical framework for computationally representing social situations in a robot. This work is based on interdependence theory, a social psychological theory of interaction and social situation analysis. We use interdependence theory to garner information about the social situations involving a human and a robot. We also quantify the gain in outcome resulting from situation analysis. Experiments demonstrate the utility of social situation information and of our situation-based framework as a method for guiding robot interaction. We conclude that this framework offers a principled, general approach for studying interactive robotics problems

Ameliorating Patient-Caregiver Stigma in Early-Stage Parkinson's Disease using Robot co-Mediators

Facial masking in early stage Parkinson’s disease leads to a well-documented deterioration (stigmatization) in the patient-caregiver relationship. This research described in this paper is concerned with preserving dignity in that bond where otherwise it might be lost, through the use of a robot co-mediator that will be capable of monitoring the human-human relationship for lack of congruence in the perceived emotional states of the parties concerned. This paper describes the component architectural modules that are being used in support of this 5-year effort, including an ethical architecture developed earlier for the military and previous research on affective companion robots for Sony and Samsung that are able to express affective state through kinesics and proxemics

On the Ethical Quandaries of a Practicing Roboticist: A First-Hand Look

Robotics has progressed substantially over the last 20 years, moving from simple proof-of-concept experimental research to developing market and military technologies that have significant ethical consequences. This paper provides the reflections of a roboticist on current research directions within the field and the social implications associated with its conduct