Multi-thread impact on the performance of Monte Carlo based algorithms for self-localization of robots using RGBD sensors

Abstract—Using information from RGBD sensors requires huge amount of processing. To use these sensors improves the robustness of algorithms for object perception, self-localization and, in general, all the capabilities to be performed by a robot to improve its autonomy. In most cases, these algorithms are not computationally feasible using single-thread implementations. This paper describes two multi thread strategies proposed for self localize a mobile robot in a known environment using information from a RGBD sensor. The experiments will show the benefits obtained when different numbers of threads are compared, using different approaches: a pool of threads and creation/destruction scheme. The work has been carried out on a Kobuki mobile robot in the environment of the RoCKiN competition, similar to RoboCup@hom

Reinforcement Learning Experiments and Benchmark for Solving Robotic Reaching Tasks

Reinforcement learning has shown great promise in robotics thanks to its ability to develop efficient robotic control procedures through self-training. In particular, reinforcement learning has been successfully applied to solving the reaching task with robotic arms. In this paper, we define a robust, reproducible and systematic experimental procedure to compare the performance of various model-free algorithms at solving this task. The policies are trained in simulation and are then transferred to a physical robotic manipulator. It is shown that augmenting the reward signal with the Hindsight Experience Replay exploration technique increases the average return of off-policy agents between 7 and 9 folds when the target position is initialised randomly at the beginning of each episode

Measuring the impact of haptic feedback in collaborative robotic scenarios

[EN] In recent years, the interaction of a human operator with teleoperated robotic systems has been much improved. One of the factors influencing this improvement is the addition of force feedback to complement the visual feedback provided by traditional graphical user interfaces. However, the users of these systems performing tasks in isolated and safe environments are often inexperienced and occasional users. In addition, there is no common framework to assess the usability of these systems, due to the heterogeneity of applications and tasks, and therefore, there is a need for new usability assessment methods that are not domain specific. This study addresses this issue by proposing a measure of usability that includes five variables: user efficiency, user effectiveness, mental workload, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. The empirical analysis shows that the integration of haptic feedback improves the usability of these systems for non-expert users, even though the differences are not statistically significant; further, the results suggest that mental workload is higher when haptic feedback is added. The analysis also reveals significant differences between participants depending on gender.SIPublicación en abierto financiada por el Consorcio de Bibliotecas Universitarias de Castilla y León (BUCLE), con cargo al Programa Operativo 2014ES16RFOP009 FEDER 2014-2020 DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN, Actuación:20007-CL - Apoyo Consorcio BUCL

SecDocker: Hardening the Continuous Integration Workflow

1-13 p.Current Continuous Integration (CI) processes face significant intrinsic cybersecurity challenges. The idea is not only to solve and test formal or regulatory security requirements of source code but also to adhere to the same principles to the CI pipeline itself. This paper presents an overview of current security issues in CI workflow. It designs, develops, and deploys a new tool for the secure deployment of a container-based CI pipeline flow without slowing down release cycles. The tool, called SecDocker for its Docker-based approach, is publicly available in GitHub. It implements a transparent application f irewall based on a configuration mechanism avoiding issues in the CI workflow associated with intended or unintended container configurations. Integrated with other DevOps Engineers tools, it provides feedback from only those scenarios that match specific patterns, addressing future container security issues.SIhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42979-021-00939-

Robotics and augmented reality for elderly assistance

This article presents a tele-assistance system based on augmented reality for elderly people that is integrated in a mobile platform. We propose the use of augmented reality for simplifying interaction with its users. The first prototype has been designed to help in medication control for ederly people. In this paper, both hardware and software architectures are described.The robotic platform is a slightly modified version of the Turtlebot platform. The software is based on ROS for the platform control, and in ArUco for the augmented reality interface. It also integrates other related systems in teleassistance such as VoIP, friendly user interface, etc

Downsizing robotics: Autonomy vs. intelligence

Research on Mobile robotics is in our opinion more focused on generating autonomous behaviors than on the development of basic technologies (locomotion, localization, navigation, etc.). However, this issue is really a complex problem where many technologies converge: artificial perception, electronics, even philosophy and there are no general theories generally accepted in the research community. Historically, Cybernetics was the first subjacent theory, then artificial intelligence techniques were the dominant paradigm used to try the solve the problem, in the 90s the focus turned to biology based systems, nowadays ethology has emerged again as the most promising theories to generate autonomous behavior. In this paper we want to present the most relevant concepts borrowed from ethology that have been successfully used in mobile robotics, such as the use of ethograms in robotic pets or the ideas of schemes, or the use of fixed actions patterns to implement reactivit

Augmented reality to improve teleoperation of mobile robots

In this article we want to discuss the skills required for human teleoperators of mobile robots. We show the classical problems related with teleoperation but focus our discussion in not specialized operators. We want to show how a proposal based on augmented reality interfaces can improve the performance of operators controlling the robot. We present the validation of our solution in two experiments: one in a controlled circuit and another one in a real environment. To carry out our experiments we use a low cost robotic surveillance platfor

Saliency map based attention control for the RoboCup SPL

Attention mechanism can be used both for reducing the amount of perceptual information to be processed and for restricting all available actions to only those useful for a given scenario. Information reduction improves performance and action restriction allows for a more precise interaction with our environment. In this paper we present the design of an attention control mechanism based on a saliency map and its implementation in the SPL's Nao robot. The results obtained are analysed and future works derived from that analysis are presente

Design an evaluation of RoboCup humanoid goalie

P. 19-26In this article we describe the ethological inspired architecture we have developed and how it has been used to implement a humanoid goalkeeper according to the regulations of the two-legged Standard Platform League of the RoboCup Federation. We present relevant concepts borrowed from ethology that we have successfully used for generating autonomous behaviours in mobile robotics, such as the use of ethograms in robotic pets or the ideas of schemata, or the use of fixed actions patterns to implement reactivity. Then we discuss the implementation of this architecture on the Nao biped robot. Finally, we propose a method for its evaluation and validation and analyse the results obtained during RoboCup real competition, which allowed us to test first hand how it worked in a real environmentS

Cybersecurity in Autonomous Systems: Evaluating the performance of hardening ROS

As robotic systems spread, cybersecurity emerges as major concern. Currently most research autonomous systems are built using the ROS framework, along with other commercial software. ROS is a distributed framework where nodes publish information that other nodes consume. This model simplifies data communication but poses a major threat because a malicious process could easily interfere the communications, read private messages or even supersede nodes. In this paper we propose that ROS communications should be encrypted. We also measure how encryption affects its performance.We have used 3DES cyphering algorithm and we have evaluated the performance of the system, both from the computing and the communications point of view. Preliminary results show that symmetric ciphers using private keys impose significant delay