With the development of the network, people are increasingly used to exchanging information on the Internet. Therefore, the capability of robot controller should not be limited to control robots locally. The objective of this thesis is to provide a system, the screenplay based performance platform of Robotic puppet shows (SBPP), commanding multiple robots; each robot performing its own role based on a script composed by the developed authoring tool. Wherever and whenever a user wants to use SBPP, he/she just needs connect to the network and begins to design a script. SBPP consists of three parts: the graphic authoring platform (GAP) of screenplays for robotic puppet shows, the screenplay interpreter (SI) for multi-morphic robots, and robots themself. The work of this thesis is concentrated on the implementation of the GAP and robots (model: DARwIn-OP) control. The GAP provides options for a variety of robots to users. The users can easily design their own robot scripts merely by drag-and-drop operating on icons representing the actions, behavior, and short scripts, respectively. Whenever a script is created or updated, GAP will automatically save the script as an XML file format internally. In addition, robots can be conducted to express their emotions orally by utter the lines composed. The system is demonstrated by a play of ¡§do-as-I-do¡¨ and recoded in a video at YouTube:¡¨ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8ErTOgAQSo¡¨.

Proposes a new method to model the geometric form of articulated mechanical parts while simultaneously testing their range of motion in relation to other nearby parts. Utilizing a database of mechanical parts in virtual three-dimensional form, a software tool assists users in quickly building a complex high-level mechanical object which can be placed directly into a visual effects production pipeline. The tool creates a workflow that allows modeling and rigging problems to be solved concurrently within the same interface. Optimized animation controls are generated automatically to expedite the rigging process. A system of standardization provides a framework for each part?s functionality within the hierarchy of each new assembly, while also guaranteeing reusability and backwards compatibility with all other assemblies created with this tool. A prototype has been developed as a plug-in to existing commercial software to showcase the described methodology. This prototype provides a unique solution to common modeling and rigging problems in the field of visual effects and animation.

Mobile robots are used on many areas and its demand on extreme terrain, hazardous area, or life-threatening place is increasing to reduce the loss of life. A good decision making capability is essential for successful navigation of autonomous robot and it affect finding the shortest or optimal path within given condition. The wavefront algorithm is simple to apply, yet yield an optimal path for a robot to follow in many different configurations. Although the path created using wavefront algorithm is an optimal in the sense that every node has the same cost, the result is not the best result in global perspective because of the algorithm is inconsiderate on the surrounding condition. To solve this issue and create the best result on global perspective, risk factor analysis method was implemented on the wavefront algorithm to improve the performance. In this work, the relationship between the wavefront algorithm and dynamic programming will be explained to show that the wavefront algorithm obeys the principle of optimality. The simulation result displays better performance on safety, while keeping the travelling distance minimum, if the risk factor is used on the wavefront algorithm and the robot on actual test behave accordingly. This work will contribute on decision making of mobile robot using risk factor method to create a most desirable and safe path. In addition to that, it will demonstrate how the risk factor method can be applied to the mobile robot navigation.

In this thesis, we study the development of linguistic concepts (corresponding to a subset of nouns, verbs and adjectives) on a humanoid robot. To accomplish this goal, we use affordances, a notion first proposed by J.J. Gibson to describe the action possibilities offered to an agent by the environment. Using the affordances formalization framework of Sahin et al., we have implemented a learning system on a humanoid robot and obtained the required data from the sensorimotor experiences of the robot. The system we developed (1) can learn verb, adjective and noun concepts, (2) represent them in terms of strings of prototypes and dependencies based on affordances, (3) can accurately recognize the concept of novel objects and events, and (4) can be used for tasks such as goal emulation and multi step planning.

Based on the Lyapunov stability theorem, two adaptive variable structure control (AVSC) schemes with perturbation estimation are proposed in this thesis for two different classes of nonlinear systems with model uncertainties and external disturbance, so that the robust tracking problems can be solved. The class of systems firstly considered is the one which has square input matrix gain, the other is the one which has non-square input matrix and an output function. All systems considered contain perturbation in the input matrix gain. By introducing a perturbation estimation process embedded in both proposed control schemes, not only the perturbation can be estimated, but also the control energy can be reduced. In addition, the proposed control schemes also contain an adaptive mechanism in order to automatically adapt the unknown upper bound of perturbation estimation error, so that the property of uniformly ultimate boundedness for the closed-loop system is guaranteed. Finally, four numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed control schemes.

An advanced architecture of learning system with flexible, mobile and joyful features for supporting ubiquitous learning is developed in this research. The architecture consists of five hardware key elements and a supporting information system to form a brand-new ubiquitous learning system. We call the designed and developed system as Ubiquitous Open-structured Neo-tech Edutainment (or u-ONE System for short) which includes learning robot, sensing input device, mobile computing device, mobile output device, wireless local network and u-ONE Software. The design and development of u-ONE System is guided by experiential learning theory, constructivism learning theory, and joyful learning element. Instruction, collaboration learning and self-learning of application modes are supported by u-ONE Software for realizing ubiquitous learning. The aim of this research is to design and develop a prototype of u-ONE System includes hardware and software components for supporting children¡¦s learning by using robot and RFID. Instructor and learners can meet at any place with their own gears to form a u-ONE System and start instruction and/or learning activities. Only instructors need to operate the control station for coordination; learners just intuitively interact with learning robot by a natural and person-to-person-liked interaction method. In u-ONE System, learners do not need to have good information technologies literacy such as the keyboarding skills which are especially crucial for the earlier childhood learners. Besides, many parents and educators are concerned of watching computer screen for a long time that may harm children¡¦s eyesight; u-ONE System provides an alternative solution for this. This research¡¦s experiment result found most learners could arouse their learning motivations and help them concentrate on learning activities. The class order is also improved for instructors more easily to control the behaviors of learners during the class.

<p>With the progress in research and product development humans and robots get more and more close to each other and the idea of a personalised general service robot is not too far fetched. Crucial for such a service robot is the ability to navigate in its working environment. The environment has to be assumed an arbitrary domestic or office-like environment that has to be shared with human users and bystanders. With methods developed and investigated in the field of simultaneous localisation and mapping it has become possible for mobile robots to explore and map an unknown environment, while they can stay localised with respect to their starting point and the surroundings. These approaches though do not consider the representation of the environment that is used by humans to refer to particular places. Robotic maps are often metric representations of features that could be obtained from sensory data. Humans have a more topological, in fact partially hierarchical way of representing environments. Especially for the communication between a user and her personal robot it is thus necessary to provide a link between the robotic map and the human understanding of the robot's workspace.</p><p>The term Human Augmented Mapping is used for a framework that allows to integrate a robotic map with human concepts. Communication about the environment can thus be facilitated. By assuming an interactive setting for the map acquisition process it is possible for the user to influence the process significantly. Personal preferences can be made part of the environment representation that the robot acquires. Advantages become also obvious for the mapping process itself, since in an interactive setting the robot could ask for information and resolve ambiguities with the help of the user. Thus, a scenario of a "guided tour" in which a user can ask a robot to follow and present the surroundings is assumed as the starting point for a system for the integration of robotic mapping, interaction and human environment representations.</p><p>Based on results from robotics research, psychology, human-robot interaction and cognitive science a general architecture for a system for Human Augmented Mapping is presented. This architecture combines a hierarchically organised robotic mapping approach with interaction abilities with the help of a high-level environment model. An initial system design and implementation that combines a tracking and following approach with a mapping system is described. Observations from a pilot study in which this initial system was used successfully are reported and support the assumptions about the usefulness of the environment model that is used as the link between robotic and human representation.</p>

Nos travaux portent sur la supervision d'un robot autonome en environnement humain et plus particulièrement sur la prise en compte de l'interaction homme-robot au niveau décisionnel. Dans ce cadre, l'homme et le robot constituent un système dans lequel ils partagent un espace commun et échangent des informations à travers différentes modalités. L'interaction peut intervenir soit sur une requête explicite de l'homme, soit parce que le robot l'a estimée utile et en a pris l'initiative. Dans les deux cas le robot doit agir afin de satisfaire un but en prenant en compte de manière explicite la présence et les préferences de son partenaire humain. Pour cela, nous avons conçu et développé un système de supervision nommé Shary qui permet de gérer des tâches individuelles (où seul le robot est impliqué) et des tâches jointes (où le robot et un autre agent sont impliqués). Ce système se compose d'une mécanique d'exécution de tâches gérant d'une part la communication nécessaire au sein d'une tâche et d'autre part l'affinement de la tâche en sous-tâches. Pour cela chaque tâche est définie par un plan de communication et un plan de réalisation auxquels sont associés des moniteurs de suivi. Nous avons développé ce système sur le robot Rackham dans le cadre d'une tâche de "Guide de musée". Nous avons également utilisé ce système dans le cadre d'une tâche du type : "apporter quelque chose à quelqu'un" sur le robot Jido pour montrer la généricité du système.

<p>Med en växande produktionsindustri i Asien så blir det allt svårare för företag i Europa och Sverige att konkurrera med den effektiva och framförallt billiga arbetskraft som erbjuds i öst. För att kunna konkurrera på ett effektivt sätt så har industrirobotindustrin växt kraftigt under de senaste åren. Detta är en rapport på hur ett koncept har påbörjats för att implementera ett Ethernet baserat kommunikationssystem kallat EtherCAT i ett robotsystem från Motoman. En testutrustning har byggts och simulerat en kommunikation med en PLC. Ett första HMI gränssnitt har skrivits som översätter informationen från PLCn för att göra informationen lättförståelig för människor. Det har förberetts ett robotprogram till en robot från Motoman. Rapporten innehåller också en faktadel för hur EtherCAT fungerar och en jämförelse med andra systembussar.</p> / <p>With a fast growing production industry in Asia it’s getting harder and harder for Swedish companies to compete with the low production cost that the east offers. To be more competitive robot solutions are used more and more. This is a report of a first concept to implement a new Ethernet based communication called EtherCAT, in one of Motoman robot controllers. Test equipment has been constructed and simulated a communication with the PLC. A first HMI interface has been written to show the information from the PLC in a way that is understandable for humans. For one of Motoman’s robots a program has been prepared.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D)--Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010. / Committee Chair: Rehg, James M.; Committee Member: Christensen, Henrik; Committee Member: Dellaert, Frank; Committee Member: Essa, Irfan; Committee Member: Malik, Jitendra. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.