Ontology based robot reasoning in the elderly care domain - the EUROAGE projects

This paper describes the actions developed and currently in development within the EUROAGE projects related to the ontology-based robot reasoning in the elderly care domain. Recent ontology-based standards were developed (IEEE 1872-2015; IEEE 1872.2-2021; IEEE 7007-2021), and others are currently in development (IEEE P1872.1; IEEE P1872.3) to improve robot performance while executing tasks. This is a very hot topic in current standardization efforts worldwide. The elderly care domain has special characteristics related to interactions with humans and robots living in the same workspace. As such, robots must also commit to social and ethical norms (IEEE 7007-2021). The robot and the actions it can perform in such interactions are defined according to the IEEE 1872-2015. Moreover, a semantic map of the environment was developed (using some concepts from the IEEE 1872.2- 2021) where the robot can interact with the elder and the sensors in the smart home. In this environment, an ontology-based platform was developed that allows the robot to interact with the objects, e.g., to pick a cell phone or bottle of water, using semantic information from that environment to solve demanded tasks. Ongoing efforts are underway to thoroughly add to the reasoning framework of the previously stated standards and the concepts from the IEEE 7007-2021 to ensure that the robot's actions are ethically and socially correct.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ontological framework to improve motion planning of manipulative agents through semantic knowledge-based reasoning

This paper describes the actions taken in developing a framework that aims to improve the motion planning of a manipulative robotic agent through reasoning based on semantic knowledge. The Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) was employed to draw new insights from the existing information about the robotic system and its environment. Recent ontology-based standards have been developed (IEEE 1872-2015; IEEE 1872.2-2021; IEEE 7007-2021), and others are currently under development (IEEE P1872.1; IEEE P1872.3) to improve robot performance in task execution. Ontological knowledge “semantic map" was generated using a deep neural network trained to detect and classify objects in the environment where the manipulator agent acts. Manipulation constraints were deduced, and the environment corresponding to the agent’s manipulation workspace was created so the planner could interpret it to generate a collision-free path. Several SPARQL queries were used to explore the semantic map and allow ontological reasoning. The proposed framework was implemented and validated in a real experimental setting, using the ROSPlan planning framework to perform the planning tasks. This ontology-based framework proved to be a promising strategy. E.g., it allows the robotic manipulative agent to interact with objects, e.g., to choose a mobile phone or a water bottle, using semantic information from the environment to solve the requested tasks.This work is financed by national funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., through IDMEC, under LAETA, project UIDB/50022/2020. The work of Rodrigo Bernardo was supported by the PhD Scholarship BD/6841/2020 from FCT. This work has received funding from: the project 0770_EUROAGE2_4_E (POCTEP Programa Interreg V-A Spain-Portugal), and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme under StandICT.eu 2023 (under Grant Agreement No.: 951972).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Uncalibrated eye-to-hand visual servoing using inverse fuzzy models

(c) 2007 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other users, including reprinting/ republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted components of this work in other works.A new uncalibrated eye-to-hand visual servoing based on inverse fuzzy modeling is proposed in this paper. In classical visual servoing, the Jacobian plays a decisive role in the convergence of the controller, as its analytical model depends on the selected image features. This Jacobian must also be inverted online. Fuzzy modeling is applied to obtain an inverse model of the mapping between image feature variations and joint velocities. This approach is independent from the robot's kinematic model or camera calibration and also avoids the necessity of inverting the Jacobian online. An inverse model is identified for the robot workspace, using measurement data of a robotic manipulator. This inverse model is directly used as a controller. The inverse fuzzy control scheme is applied to a robotic manipulator performing visual servoing for random positioning in the robot workspace. The obtained experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. The fuzzy controller can position the robotic manipulator at any point in the workspace with better accuracy than the classic visual servoing approach.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A novel control architecture based on behavior trees for an omni-directional mobile robot

Robotic systems are increasingly present in dynamic environments. This paper proposes a hierarchical control structure wherein a behavior tree (BT) is used to improve the flexibility and adaptability of an omni-directional mobile robot for point stabilization. Flexibility and adaptability are crucial at each level of the sense–plan–act loop to implement robust and effective robotic solutions in dynamic environments. The proposed BT combines high-level decision making and continuous execution monitoring while applying non-linear model predictive control (NMPC) for the point stabilization of an omni-directional mobile robot. The proposed control architecture can guide the mobile robot to any configuration within the workspace while satisfying state constraints (e.g., obstacle avoidance) and input constraints (e.g., motor limits). The effectiveness of the controller was validated through a set of realistic simulation scenarios and experiments in a real environment, where an industrial omni-directional mobile robot performed a point stabilization task with obstacle avoidance in a workspace.This work was financed by national funds from the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology), I.P., through IDMEC under LAETA, project UIDB\50022\2020. The work of Rodrigo Bernardo was supported by the PhD Scholarship BD\6841\2020 from the FCT. This work indirectly received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme under StandICT.eu 2026 (Grant Agreement No. 101091933).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Natural user interface based on gestures recognition using Leap Motion sensor

Natural User Interface (NUI) is a term used for human-computer interfaces where the interface is invisible or becomes invisible after successive user-immersion levels, it is typically based on the human nature or human natural elements. Currently several three-dimensional (3D) sensors and system can be used to interpret specific human gestures, enabling a completely hands-free control of electronic devices, manipulating objects in a virtual world or interacting with augmented reality applications. This paper presents a set of methods to recognize 3D gestures, and some human-computer interfaces applications using a Leap Motion senso

Computational intelligence applied to discriminate bee pollen quality and botanical origin

The aim of this work was to develop computational intelligence models based on neural networks (NN), fuzzy models (FM), and support vector machines (SVM) to predict physicochemical composition of bee pollen mixture given their botanical origin. To obtain the predominant plant genus of pollen (was the output variable), based on physicochemical composition (were the input variables of the predictive model), prediction models were learned from data. For the inverse case study, input/output variables were swapped. The probabilistic NN prediction model obtained 98.4% of correct classification of the predominant plant genus of pollen. To obtain the secondary and tertiary plant genus of pollen, the results present a lower accuracy. To predict the physicochemical characteristic of a mixture of bee pollen, given their botanical origin, fuzzy models proven the best results with small prediction errors, and variability lower than 10%.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A putative mutant of a self-compatible yellow passion fruit with the corona color as a phenotypic marker Um provável mutante autocompatível de maracujazeiro amarelo com a cor da corona como marcador fenotípico

Yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) is a self-incompatible crop with purple corona flowers (PCF). Plants exhibiting white corona flowers (WCF) were observed in an experimental field located in Campos dos Goytacazes - RJ, Brazil. This study was performed in order to test the fertility of these genotypes through studies of in vivo pollination, meiotic behavior and pollen viability. Using in vivo pollination, the mean fruit set percentage, obtained from self-pollinations at the moment that flowers open, was 70.83% in WCF and 0% in PCF. In terms of cytological analysis, for both kinds of plants, WCF and PCF, the meiotic behavior was considered regular, considering the high meiotic index estimated for both of them, 96.3% and 97.7%, and pollen viability, 98% and 99.5%, respectively. Such results suggest that the genotype WCF is self-compatible and interesting for use in genetic improvement of yellow passion fruit.<br>O maracujazeiro amarelo (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) é autoincompatível e com flores de corona púrpura (PCF). Plantas com flores de corona branca (WCF) foram observadas em um campo experimental localizado em Campos dos Goytacazes (RJ), Brasil. Este estudo foi realizado para testar a fertilidade dos genótipos WCF por meio de estudos de polinização in vivo, comportamento meiótico e viabilidade polínica. Utilizando polinização in vivo, o percentual médio de frutos obtidos das autopolinizações realizadas no momento de abertura da flor foi de 70,83% em WCF and 0% em PCF. Quanto às analises citológicas, para ambos os tipos de plantas, WCF e PCF, o comportamento meiótico foi considerado regular, com alto índice meiótico para ambas, 96,3% e 97,7%, e viabilidade polínica de 98% e 99,5% respectivamente. Tais resultados indicam que o genótipo WCF é autocompatível e de interesse para o uso em programas de melhoramento genético do maracujazeiro amarelo