Robotics Commons^™

Mapping And Visualizing Ancient Water Storage Systems With An Rov – An Approach Based On Fusing Stationary Scans Within A Particle Filter, William D. Mcvicker

Master's Theses

This paper presents a new method for constructing 2D maps of enclosed un- derwater structures using an underwater robot equipped with only a 2D scanning sonar, compass and depth sensor. In particular, no motion model or odometry is used. To accomplish this, a two step offline SLAM method is applied to a set of stationary sonar scans. In the first step, the change in position of the robot between each consecutive pair of stationary sonar scans is estimated using a particle filter. This set of pair wise relative scan positions is used to create an estimate of each scan’s position …

Low Cost Neurochairs, Frankie Pike

Master's Theses

Electroencephalography (EEG) was formerly confined to clinical and research settings with the necessary hardware costing thousands of dollars. In the last five years a number of companies have produced simple electroencephalograms, priced below $300 and available direct to consumers. These have stirred the imaginations of enthusiasts and brought the prospects of "thought-controlled" devices ever closer to reality. While these new devices were largely targeted at video games and toys, active research on enabling people suffering from debilitating diseases to control wheelchairs was being pursued. A number of neurochairs have come to fruition offering a truly hands-free mobility solution, but whether …

Evolving Expert Agent Parameters For Capture The Flag Agent In Xpilot, Gary Parker, Sarah Penrose

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Xpilot is an open source, 2d space combat game. Xpilot-AI allows a programmer to write scripts that control an agent playing a game of Xpilot. It provides a reasonable environment for testing learning systems for autonomous agents, both video game agents and robots. In previous work, a wide range of techniques have been used to develop controllers that are focused on the combat skills for an Xpilot agent. In this research, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) was used to evolve the parameters for an expert agent solving the more challenging problem of capture the flag.

Evolving Predator Control Programs For An Actual Hexapod Robot Predator, Gary Parker, Basar Gulcu

Computer Science Faculty Publications

In the development of autonomous robots, control program learning systems are important since they allow the robots to adapt to changes in their surroundings. Evolutionary Computation (EC) is a method that is used widely in learning systems. In previous research, we used a Cyclic Genetic Algorithm (CGA), a form of EC, to evolve a simulated predator robot to test the effectiveness of a learning system in the predator/prey problem. The learned control program performed search, chase, and capture behavior using 64 sensor states relative to the nearest obstacle and the target, a simulated prey robot. In this paper, we present …

Designing Autonomous Robot Missions With Performance Guarantees, Damian M. Lyons, Ronald Arkin, Prem Nirmal, Shu Jiang

Faculty Publications

This paper describes the need and methods required to construct an integrated software verification and mission specification system for use in robotic missions intended for counter-weapons of mass destruction (c-WMD) operations, as part of a 3-year effort for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The overall system architecture is described. The principal tool for verification is a process algebra, PARS, based on port automata theory. PARS is introduced, emphasizing its ability to represent probabilistic programs and uncertain and dynamic environments, followed by the analysis of mission properties for an example robotic mission.

Intelligent Behavioral Action Aiding For Improved Autonomous Image Navigation, Kwee Guan Eng

Theses and Dissertations

In egomotion image navigation, errors are common especially when traversing areas with few landmarks. Since image navigation is often used as a passive navigation technique in Global Positioning System (GPS) denied environments; egomotion accuracy is important for precise navigation in these challenging environments. One of the causes of egomotion errors is inaccurate landmark distance measurements, e.g., sensor noise. This research determines a landmark location egomotion error model that quantifies the effects of landmark locations on egomotion value uncertainty and errors. The error model accounts for increases in landmark uncertainty due to landmark distance and image centrality. A robot then uses …

Isus - An Autonomous Off-Road Balancing Robot - High Level Software And Components Implementation, Kent Williams

Computer Engineering

The ISUS Mobile Robot is a balancing off-road mobile robotic vehicle capable of driving while balancing on two wheels in rough and changing terrain. The robot can be operated over WI-FI via a computer.

Cpe Senior Project Final Report: Roborodentia 2012 - Team Street Sweeper, Jason Miller, David Pascale

Computer Engineering

The Street Sweeper was a multi-disciplinary, autonomous robotics project constructed to compete in Cal Poly's Roborodentia XVII in 2012. The goal of the competition was to collect painted cat food cans in the team's goal area, with bonus points for stacking the cans. Street Sweeper was very much a budget robot, but due to good planning and strategy, managed to place 2nd in the competition.

Riley The Cat, Nicholas Zankich

Computer Engineering

There are many toys that exist that are comfort objects. Generally these are toys that are soft such as blankets, stuffed animals, and pillows. Robotic toys also exist such as games, interactive books, and instruments. There exists a crossover market that includes Furbys, Tomagachi pets, and Fur Real Friends. While being very popular, I believe that this crossover isn’t perfect, and that there is a lot of room for improvement. Riley (Figure 1) was created to make something that is both completely a robot and a comfort object.

Polygrasp: Reach; Myoelectric Prosthetic Hand Iteration, Devon Patrick Augustus, Mighells Blaed Deuel, Ian Noel Fraser, Nicholas Philip Moesser

Mechanical Engineering

Amputations are a common occurrence in soldiers returning home who have suffered the effects of IED and munitions explosions. For upper limb amputees, trans-radial amputations are the most common. Traditional hook devices do not offer an adequate level of normalcy for users, prompting the use of myoelectric devices. While current myoelectric devices do offer a more natural experience, they come with a host of other problems that makes their adoption by service personnel not desirable or not permitted by the VA. PolyGrasp Reach seeks to reduce weight and cost and improve performance. This addresses several of the issues with devices …

Robotron, Fabian Rodriguez, Oscar Daniel Muneton, Adelaido Jimenez

Computer Engineering

Roborodentia 2012 is a competition where students and alumni could build an autonomous robot to perform a certain task for points. This report is about Robotron, the 3rd place winner of this competition, and how it came to be.

California Polytechnic State University Senior Project Winter-Spring 2012, Roborodentia Xvii, Stack-E, Alejandro Ignacio, Austin Hobbs

Computer Engineering

The main goal for our project is to design and build a functional autonomous robot that is capable of navigating an open arena while avoiding obstacles, as well as identify other objects or cans on the field. It must also be capable of stacking and containing these cans. Deliverables will include the fully assembled robot chassis containing the essential hardware components needed to accomplish the navigation and movement, as well as capabilities like identification of objects and stacking of cans. Alongside the hardware, there will also be software developed to showcase these capabilities of the robot design, including the vision …

Vikis: The Can Collecting Robot, Eric Edwards, Leah Humiston, Jason Foulk

Computer Engineering

RoboRodentia is an annual school-wide robotics competition that has been held during Cal Poly’s Open House for the past thirteen years. The competition rules change from year to year as the objective of the competition changes, but an important aspect of the competition is that the robots run completely autonomously. This paper describes the development, design, and implementation of the RoboRodentia robot from Team Vikis. The technical specifications, robot components, individual responsibilities, and results are described in depth within this document.

Android Powered Autonomous Robot, Dennis Cagle, Zachary Negrey

Computer Engineering

The goal of this Senior Project was to create an autonomous robot powered by an Android phone to compete in Roborodentia 2012. In order to accomplish this task, we used the Android Open Accessory Development Kit (Android ADK) to interface an Android phone with a custom Arduino microcontroller (Arduino Mega) designed by Google. The project contained design and implementation of hardware, electronic devices, and software.

Getting It Right The First Time: Predicted Performance Guarantees From The Analysis Of Emergent Behavior In Autonomous And Semi-Autonomous Systems, Ronald C. Arkin, Damian M. Lyons, Shu Jiang, Prem Nirmal, Munzir Zafar

Faculty Publications

A crucially important aspect for mission-critical robotic operations is ensuring as best as possible that an autonomous system be able to complete its task. In a project for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) we are developing methods to provide such guidance, specifically for counter-Weapons of Mass Destruction (C-WMD) missions. In this paper, we describe the scenarios under consideration, the performance measures and metrics being developed, and an outline of the mechanisms for providing performance guarantees.

Navigation Of Uncertain Terrain By Fusion Of Information From Real And Synthetic Imagery, Damian M. Lyons, Prem Nirmal, D. Paul Benjamin

Faculty Publications

We consider the scenario where an autonomous platform that is searching or traversing a building may observe unstable masonry or may need to travel over unstable rubble. A purely behaviour-based system may handle these challenges but produce behaviour that works against long-terms goals such as reaching a victim as quickly as possible. We extend our work on ADAPT, a cognitive robotics architecture that incorporates 3D simulation and image fusion, to allow the robot to predict the behaviour of physical phenomena, such as falling masonry, and take actions consonant with long-term goals.

We experimentally evaluate a cognitive only and reactive only …

Using A Virtual World For Robot Planning, D. Paul Benjamin, John V. Monaco, Yixia Lin, Christopher Funk, Damian M. Lyons

Faculty Publications

We are building a robot cognitive architecture that constructs a real-time virtual copy of itself and its environment, including people, and uses the model to process perceptual information and to plan its movements. This paper describes the structure of this architecture. The software components of this architecture include PhysX for the virtual world, OpenCV and the Point Cloud Library for visual processing, and the Soar cognitive architecture that controls the perceptual processing and task planning. The RS (Robot Schemas) language is implemented in Soar, providing the ability to reason about concurrency and time. This Soar/RS component controls visual processing, deciding …

Robot X, Alan Truong, Alex Haag

Computer Engineering

The following report outlines the design decisions behind Robot X for the 2012 Cal Poly Roborodentia competition held annually during Open House. This investigation includes detailed overview of Robot X's sensory system, driving system, conveyor belt system, and can compartment system. In addition, basic hardware and software design are explored.

The Creation Of A Robotics Based Human Upper Body Model For Predictive Simulation Of Prostheses Performance, Derek James Lura

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work focuses on the use of 3D motion capture data to create and optimize a robotic human body model (RHBM) to predict the inverse kinematics of the upper body. The RHBM is a 25 degrees of freedom (DoFs) upper body model with subject specific kinematic parameters. The model was developed to predict the inverse kinematics of the upper body in the simulation of a virtual person, including persons with functional limitations such as a transradial or transhumeral amputation. Motion data were collected from 14 subjects: 10 non-amputees control subjects, 1 person with a transradial amputation, and 3 persons with …

An Approach To Stereo-Point Cloud Registration Using Image Homographies, Damian M. Lyons, Stephen D. Fox

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Characterizing Performance Guarantees For Real-Time Multiagent Systems Operating In Noisy And Uncertain Environments, Damian M. Lyons, Ronald Arkin, Stephen Fox, Shu Jiang, Prem Nirmal, Munzir Zafar

Faculty Publications

Autonomous robots offer the potential to conduct Counter-Weapons of Mass Destruction (C-WMD) missions in an efficient and robust manner. However, to leverage this potential, a mission designer needs to be able to determine how well a robot system will operate in the noisy and uncertain environments that a C-WMD mission may require. We are developing a software framework for verification of performance guarantees for C-WMD missions based on the MissionLab software system and a novel process algebra approach to representing robot programs and operating environments.

In this paper, we report on our initial research for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency …

Effects Of Visual Interaction Methods On Simulated Unmanned Aircraft Operator Situational Awareness, Brent A. Terwilliger

Publications

The limited field of view of static egocentric visual displays employed in unmanned aircraft controls introduces the soda straw effect on operators, which significantly affects their ability to capture and maintain situational awareness by not depicting peripheral visual data. The problem with insufficient operator situational awareness is the resulting increased potential for error and oversight during operation of unmanned aircraft, leading to accidents and mishaps costing United States taxpayers between $4 million to $54 million per year. The purpose of this quantitative experimental completely randomized design study was to examine and compare use of dynamic eyepoint to static visual interaction …

Techniques For Sensor-Integrated Robotic Systems: Raman Spectra Analysis, Image Guidance, And Kinematic Calibration, Luke Anthony Reisner

Wayne State University Dissertations

Robotics and sensor technology have made impressive advancements over the years. There are now robotic systems that help perform surgeries or explore the surface of Mars, and there are sensors that detect trace amounts of explosives or identify diseased human tissue. The most powerful systems integrate robots and sensors, which are natural complements to each other. Sensors can provide information that might otherwise be unavailable due to indirect robotic manipulation (e.g., images of the target environment), and robots can provide suitably precise positioning of an analytical sensor.

To have an effective sensor-integrated robotic system, multiple capabilities are needed in the …

Sensor-Based Robotic Learning System For The Rehabilitation Of Arm, Chethan Ramachandra Keladi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In recent studies, the neurological studies has shown that the neurological disorders like Stroke, Parkinson's disease, Dystonia, Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), Cerebral Palsy (CP), etc., cause the disability of upper limb and one of the major issues with the neurological injuries is motor impairment. This issue is caused by the lack of interaction between the central nervous system (CNS) and muscles [1] and can be cured by the intensive training which includes repetitive and reaching tasks. The intensive training can be performed using conventional therapy and robot-assisted therapy, but the research has shown additional effects on motor recovery and functional …

Robotic Manufacturing Cell: An Analysis Of Variables Affecting Performance, Elvis Alicic

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Analyzing the performance of manufacturing cells is a well established concept. The justification for conducting thorough analyses of manufacturing cells comes from the known advantages it can provide, including performance improvement and production planning improvement, both current and future. This study focuses on assessing the variables affecting performance of a robotic manufacturing cell through the measure of throughput. Initially, simulation modeling is utilized to model an existing robotic cell and compare the output to actual production output from the same cell. Additionally, general regression modeling is employed to analyze the following variables and their effect on throughput: machine downtime, off-plan …