关键词： Robot learning   Object recognition   Image retrieval   Human-robot interaction  

摘要： We present a system architecture for domestic robots that allows them to learn object categories after one sample object was initially learned. We explore the situation in which a human teaches a robot a novel object, and the robot enhances such learning by using a large amount of image data from the Internet. The main goal of this research is to provide a robot with capabilities to enhance its learning while minimizing time and effort required for a human to train a robot. Our active learning approach consists of learning the object name using speech interface, and creating a visual object model by using a depth-based attention model adapted to the robot's personal space. Given the object's name (keyword), a large amount of object-related images from two main image sources (Google Images and the LabelMe website) are collected. We deal with the problem of separating good training samples from noisy images by performing two steps: (1) Similar image selection using a Simile Selector Classifier, and (2) non-real image filtering by implementing a variant of Gaussian Discriminant Analysis. After web image selection, object category classifiers are then trained and tested using different objects of the same category. Our experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our robot learning approach.

关键词： Molecular Robotics   DNA Nanotechnology   Robotics   Self-organization   Bottom-up Approach   Nano-devices   Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas  

摘要： The rapid progress of molecular nanotechnology has opened the door to molecular robotics, which uses molecules as robot components. In order to promote this new paradigm, the Molecular Robotics Research Group was established in the Systems and Information Division of the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers (SICE) in 2010. The group consists of researchers from various fields including chemistry, biophysics, DNA nanotechnology, systems science and robotics, challenging this emerging new field. Last year, the group proposed a research project focusing on molecular robotics, and it was recently awarded a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (FY2012-16), one of the large-scale research projects in Japan, by MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, JAPAN). Here, we wish to clarify the fundamental concept and research direction of molecular robotics. For this purpose, we present a comprehensive view of molecular robotics based on the discussions held in the Molecular Robotics Research Group.

关键词： robotics   Tekkotsu   ROS (Robot Operating System)   curriculum design  

摘要： Modern robots, like today's smartphones, are complex devices with intricate software systems. Introductory robot programming courses must evolve to reflect this reality, by teaching students to make use of the sophisticated tools their robots provide rather than reimplementing basic algorithms. This paper focuses on teaching with Tekkotsu, an open source robot application development framework designed specifically for education. But, the curriculum described here can also be taught using ROS, the Robot Operating System that is now widely used for robotics research.

关键词： Anthropomimetic robots   motor control   morphological computation   physics-based modeling   simulation  

摘要： Anthropomimetic robotics differs from conventional approaches by capitalizing on the replication of the inner structures of the human body, such as muscles, tendons, bones, and joints. Here we present our results of more than three years of research in constructing, simulating, and, most importantly, controlling anthropomimetic robots. We manufactured four physical torsos, each more complex than its predecessor, and developed the tools required to simulate their behavior. Furthermore, six different control approaches, inspired by classical control theory, machine learning, and neuroscience, were developed and evaluated via these simulations or in small-scale setups. While the obtained results are encouraging, we are aware that we have barely exploited the potential of the anthropomimetic design so far. But, with the tools developed, we are confident that this novel approach will contribute to our understanding of morphological computation and human motor control in the future.

关键词： 串联履带式搜救机器人   运动分析   动力学   移动机构   驱动方式  

摘要： 搜救机器人应用在震后救援、煤矿灾害救援、核辐射地带等危险的灾难现场。本文提出来了一种新型串联履带式搜救机器人，能胜任多种工作环境的机器人平台，并对其进行运动分析和动力学研究，使其能够适应复杂恶劣的环境。　　首先，通过对比几种常用的移动机构，选择履带式移动机构作为搜救机器人的移动机构;为提高机器人的越障能力，将三个双履带机器人串联形成串联履带式搜救机器人，并对该搜救机器人的运动和结构进行分析;分析了单个模块和机器人最大越障能力;对搜救机器人的越障、模块偏转和机器人转向过程进行分析，获得机器人的最佳运动方式。其次，对搜救机器人的越障、转向、偏转、直线运动进行理论的运动学和动力学分析，为机器人在实际运动中提供一定的理论依据。最后，利用动力学仿真软件 ADAMS对搜救机器人直线运动、模块偏转和机器人转向进行运动学和动力学仿真。　　通过对搜救机器人的理论分析和仿真分析可得：三个双履带模块串联起来的串联履带式搜救机器人越障能力有明显的提升;机器人越障过程中，机器人的质心曲线位置是不断变化;机器人直线运动的三种驱动方式都能顺利进行运动,模块Ⅱ驱动极限力矩比其它两种驱动方式极限驱动力矩大;模块Ⅱ、Ⅲ同侧偏转时，机器人产生了滑移;机器人转向和模块偏转过程中，机器人和模块的速度波动比较剧烈。　　本文研究的结果，为深入研究搜救机器人的转向和越障问题提供一定的理论基础;为搜救机器人整体设计及优化提供的技术参考和支持。

关键词： 自重构机器人   构型   重构规划   运动学   动力学  

摘要： 在实际应用中，自重构机器人要想顺利完成任务，除了机器人具有重构能力外，更重要的是机器人如何自动快速有效地实现重构，这将直接影响任务的成败。因此，本论文在自重构机器人的构型表达及自重构规划等方面进行了研究。 机器人的自由度、工作空间的性能等都和机器人的拓扑构型密切相关。根据链式自重构机器人单个模块的特点，结合图论的方法，提出了一种连接矩阵和连接关系矩阵，用来表达机器人的构型。该方法引入了连接器的信息，可以完整的表达机器人的构型，与实际构型之间具有一一对应关系，为自重构机器人的重构运动规划提供了必要信息。无标号、分布式的重构规划算法的提出，可快速的找到任意两构型之间的重构路径，确定重构过程中哪些模块需要连接，哪些模块需要断开，及模块之间连接和断开的顺序。 为了实现机器人的自重构，还需要对其运动进行规划，以实现两模块的对接。机器人的自重构运动与机器人模块在三维空间中的位姿紧密相关，因此对每个模块以同样的准则建立局部坐标系,利用齐次坐标变换法求解相互连接的模块所在坐标系之间的变换矩阵，从而建立相应模块的标准变换矩阵,将各个模块的标准变换矩阵相乘，即可得到正运动学方程。通过对逆运动学的求解，可找出实现两模块连接的多条运动路径。对机器人动力学的分析，从多条运动路径中选出一条最低耗可行的运动路径。运动规划结合已得到的重构过程，可使自重构机器人能够找出最优的重构路径，自主的完成一种构型到另一种构型的重构。最后，用RecurDyn对7模块组成的自重构机器人进行仿真，验证了该重构算法的可行性。

关键词： Polynomials  

摘要： This paper presents novel fourth-and sixth-order polynomials to solve the problem of joint-space trajectory generation with a via point. These new polynomials use a single-polynomial function rather than two-polynomial functions matched at the via point as in previous methods. The problem of infinite spikes in jerk is also addressed.

关键词： Cross-culture   Healthcare   Marketing   Robotics  

摘要： This article aims to improve our understanding of how people in a healthcare context adopt robot technology and, in particular, the importance of culture in this process. The adoption of technology can be problematic when transferring technology from one culture to another. Differences in values and beliefs about robotics can affect the motivation for as well as the practice of using robotics in healthcare. Therefore, this paper seeks to develop a deeper theoretical understanding of the cultural impact on robotics adoption by using a cross-cultural perspective to explain variation in priorities and discuss possible guidelines to help build a strategy for introducing robotics into a culture's healthcare sector and broaden the current agenda in international technology marketing. Copyright © 2013 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

关键词： 机器人竞赛   创新实践   项目教学法  

摘要： 机器人是集机械、电子、控制、计算机、传感器、人工智能等多学科先进技术于一体的智能仪器。机器人实践教学,实践性非常强,在学习上充分渗透了研究性学习的思想。以中国机器人大赛中一种医疗服务机器人项目为例开展项目教学法,以机器人竞赛、创新实践为项目导向,开展对教学项目的实践探索,为常熟理工学院促进项目导向教学的全面开展,提供了一条新的思路。

关键词： 开源软件   机器人编程   机器人操作系统   组装   重新定义   人的开发   开源代码   机械手指   机器人学   机器人手   个人电脑   迭代程序   俏皮话   工作台   办公室   学位   恤衫   模块   零件   加州  

摘要： 三十年前，拜形形色色的DOS版本所赐，个人电脑大放异彩。今天，机器人的开发也将借力于机器人操作系统，即ROS的出现。摩根·奎格利（Morgan Quigley）在2006年攻读研究生学位时，就编写了他的第一套ROS迭代程序。现如今，他推出的的开源代码正在重新定义机器人学以及其中的技术限制。从2010年的v1.0版本起，ROS已经成为机器人所用软件的既定标准。
　　奎格利参与筹建的开源机器人基金（Open Source Robotics Foundation）刚刚在去年夏天完成。它坐落于加州的山景城（Mountain View），专注于ROS的开发。当进入他的办公室时，给人的感觉好像是进入了一座未来的机器人之城：人们可以随时随地将便宜的零件方便快捷地拼在一起，组装成一台机器。奎格利的工作台上堆满了机械手指，这些都是组装机器人手用到的模块。“这些手会说ROS语，”奎格利打趣道。他身上的T恤衫上印着一条关于编程的俏皮话：shirtcount++；。