Uma abordagem comportamental para inserção de robôs em ambientes culturais

In this work, we propose methodologies and computer tools to insert robots in cultural environments. The basic idea is to have a robot in a real context (a cultural space) that can represent an user connected to the system through Internet (visitor avatar in the real space) and that the robot also have its representation in a Mixed Reality space (robot avatar in the virtual space). In this way, robot and avatar are not simply real and virtual objects. They play a more important role in the scenery, interfering in the process and taking decisions. In order to have this service running, we developed a module composed by a robot, communication tools and ways to provide integration of these with the virtual environment. As welI we implemented a set of behaviors with the purpose of controlling the robot in the real space. We studied available software and hardware tools for the robotics platform used in the experiments, as welI we developed test routines to determine their potentialities. Finally, we studied the behavior-based control model, we planned and implemented alI the necessary behaviors for the robot integration to the real and virtual cultural spaces. Several experiments were conducted, in order to validate the developed methodologies and tools

Localização de robôs móveis autônomos utilizando fusão sensorial de odometria e visão monocular

The development and refinement of techniques that make simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) for an autonomous mobile robot and the building of local 3-D maps from a sequence of images, is widely studied in scientific circles. This work presents a monocular visual SLAM technique based on extended Kalman filter, which uses features found in a sequence of images using the SURF descriptor (Speeded Up Robust Features) and determines which features can be used as marks by a technique based on delayed initialization from 3-D straight lines. For this, only the coordinates of the features found in the image and the intrinsic and extrinsic camera parameters are avaliable. Its possible to determine the position of the marks only on the availability of information of depth. Tests have shown that during the route, the mobile robot detects the presence of characteristics in the images and through a proposed technique for delayed initialization of marks, adds new marks to the state vector of the extended Kalman filter (EKF), after estimating the depth of features. With the estimated position of the marks, it was possible to estimate the updated position of the robot at each step, obtaining good results that demonstrate the effectiveness of monocular visual SLAM system proposed in this paper

Controle dinâmico de robôs móveis com acionamento diferencial

This work addresses the dynamic control problem of two-wheeled differentially driven non-holonomic mobile robot. Strategies for robot positioning control and robot orientating control are presented. Such strategies just require information about the robot con¯guration (x, y and teta), which can be collected by an absolute positioning system. The strategies development is related to a change on the controlled variables for such systems, from x, y and teta to s (denoting the robot linear displacement) and teta, and makes use of the polar coordinates representation for the robot kinematic model. Thus, it is possible to obtain a linear representation for the mobile robot dynamic model and to develop such strategies. It is also presented that such strategies allow the use of linear controllers to solve the control problem. It is shown that there is flexibility to choice the linear controller (P, PI, PID, Model Matching techniques, others) to be implemented. This work presents an introduction to mobile robotics and their characteristics followed by the control strategies development and controllers design. Finally, simulated and experimental results are presented and commented

Sistema de navegação para robôs móveis autônomos

The main task and one of the major mobile robotics problems is its navigation process. Conceptualy, this process means drive the robot from an initial position and orientation to a goal position and orientation, along an admissible path respecting the temporal and velocity constraints. This task must be accomplished by some subtasks like robot localization in the workspace, admissible path planning, trajectory generation and motion control. Moreover, autonomous wheeled mobile robots have kinematics constraints, also called nonholonomic constraints, that impose the robot can not move everywhere freely in its workspace, reducing the number of feasible paths between two distinct positions. This work mainly approaches the path planning and trajectory generation problems applied to wheeled mobile robots acting on a robot soccer environment. The major dificulty in this process is to find a smooth function that respects the imposed robot kinematic constraints. This work proposes a path generation strategy based on parametric polynomials of third degree for the 'x' and 'y' axis. The 'theta' orientation is derived from the 'y' and 'x' relations in such a way that the generated path respects the kinematic constraint. To execute the trajectory, this work also shows a simple control strategy acting on the robot linear and angular velocities

Estratégias baseadas em aprendizado para coordenação de uma frota de robôs em tarefas cooperativas

In multi-robot systems, both control architecture and work strategy represent a challenge for researchers. It is important to have a robust architecture that can be easily adapted to requirement changes. It is also important that work strategy allows robots to complete tasks efficiently, considering that robots interact directly in environments with humans. In this context, this work explores two approaches for robot soccer team coordination for cooperative tasks development. Both approaches are based on a combination of imitation learning and reinforcement learning. Thus, in the first approach was developed a control architecture, a fuzzy inference engine for recognizing situations in robot soccer games, a software for narration of robot soccer games based on the inference engine and the implementation of learning by imitation from observation and analysis of others robotic teams. Moreover, state abstraction was efficiently implemented in reinforcement learning applied to the robot soccer standard problem. Finally, reinforcement learning was implemented in a form where actions are explored only in some states (for example, states where an specialist robot system used them) differently to the traditional form, where actions have to be tested in all states. In the second approach reinforcement learning was implemented with function approximation, for which an algorithm called RBF-Sarsa($lambda$) was created. In both approaches batch reinforcement learning algorithms were implemented and imitation learning was used as a seed for reinforcement learning. Moreover, learning from robotic teams controlled by humans was explored. The proposal in this work had revealed efficient in the robot soccer standard problem and, when implemented in other robotics systems, they will allow that these robotics systems can efficiently and effectively develop assigned tasks. These approaches will give high adaptation capabilities to requirements and environment changes.

Planejamento cooperativo de tarefas em um ambiente de futebol de robôs

Este trabalho apresenta o desenvolvimento de um método de coordenação e cooperação para uma frota de mini-robôs móveis. O escopo do desenvolvimento é o futebol de robôs. Trata-se de uma plataforma bem estruturada, dinâmica e desenvolvida no mundo inteiro. O futebol de robôs envolve diversos campos do conhecimento incluindo: visão computacional, teoria de controle, desenvolvimento de circuitos microcontrolados, planejamento cooperativo, entre outros. A título de organização os sistema foi dividido em cinco módulos: robô, visão, localização, planejamento e controle. O foco do trabalho se limita ao módulo de planejamento. Para auxiliar seu desenvolvimento um simulador do sistema foi implementado. O simulador funciona em tempo real e substitui os robôs reais. Dessa forma os outros módulos permanecem praticamente inalterados durante uma simulação ou execução com robôs reais. Para organizar o comportamento dos robôs e produzir a cooperação entre eles foi adotada uma arquitetura hierarquizada: no mais alto nível está a escolha do estilo de jogo do time; logo abaixo decide-se o papel que cada jogador deve assumir; associado ao papel temos uma ação específica e finalmente calcula-se a referência de movimento do robô. O papel de um robô dita o comportamento do robô na dada ocasião. Os papéis são alocados dinamicamente durante o jogo de forma que um mesmo robô pode assumir diferentes papéis no decorrer da partida

Desenvolvimento de um Sistema de Visão Global para uma Frota de Mini-Robôs Móveis

Navigation based on visual feedback for robots, working in a closed environment, can be obtained settling a camera in each robot (local vision system). However, this solution requests a camera and capacity of local processing for each robot. When possible, a global vision system is a cheapest solution for this problem. In this case, one or a little amount of cameras, covering all the workspace, can be shared by the entire team of robots, saving the cost of a great amount of cameras and the associated processing hardware needed in a local vision system. This work presents the implementation and experimental results of a global vision system for mobile mini-robots, using robot soccer as test platform. The proposed vision system consists of a camera, a frame grabber and a computer (PC) for image processing. The PC is responsible for the team motion control, based on the visual feedback, sending commands to the robots through a radio link. In order for the system to be able to unequivocally recognize each robot, each one has a label on its top, consisting of two colored circles. Image processing algorithms were developed for the eficient computation, in real time, of all objects position (robot and ball) and orientation (robot). A great problem found was to label the color, in real time, of each colored point of the image, in time-varying illumination conditions. To overcome this problem, an automatic camera calibration, based on clustering K-means algorithm, was implemented. This method guarantees that similar pixels will be clustered around a unique color class. The obtained experimental results shown that the position and orientation of each robot can be obtained with a precision of few millimeters. The updating of the position and orientation was attained in real time, analyzing 30 frames per second

Ocorrência e morfologia de glândulas nas pernas de Centris e Epicharis (Hymenoptera, Anthophoridae)

The presence of glands in insect legs is largely difunded. In bees they are present in solitary and social species. In Centris and Epicharis three different types of glandular structures were found: bag-shaped structures in males femur and tibia, unicelular glandular cells in ali segments of all leg pairs in males and females, but more developed in females, and differentiated epidermis in the basitarsus of both sexes. The tarsal gland present in the distal tarsomere of all legs of males and females are a special type of the bag-shaped structure. The nature of secretion and it use is unknow, but some morphological and stainning properties indicate a lipidic nature.

Síndrome das pernas inquietas: Diagnóstico e tratamento. Opinião de especialistas Brasileiros

This article contains the conclusions of the November 17-18, 2006 meeting of the Brazilian Study Group of Restless Legs Syndrome (GBE-SPI) about diagnosis and management of restless legs syndrome (RLS). RLS is characterized by abnormal sensations mostly but not exclusively in the legs which worsen in the evening and are improved by motion of the affected body part. Its diagnosis is solely based on clinical findings. Therapeutic agents with efficacy supported by Class I studies are dopamine agonists, levodopa and gabapentine. Class II studies support the use of slow release valproic acid, clonazepan and oxycodone. The GBE-SPI recommendations for management of SPI are sleep hygiene, withdrawal of medications capable of worsening the condition, treatment of comorbidities and pharmacological agents. The first choice agents are dopaminergic drugs, second choice are gabapentine or oxycodone, and the third choice are clonazepan or slow release valproic acid.

Aplicando lógica fuzzy no controle de robôs móveis usando dispositivos lógicos programáveis e a linguagem VHDL

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica - FEIS

Navegação de robôs em ambientes internos usando slam

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Interface com o AEDROMO (Ambiente experimental e didático com robôs móveis) utilizando sistema Android

The AEDROMO (Experimental and Didactic Environment with Mobile Robots) is a versatile, user friendly and scalable environment that supports a wide range of experiments. In it there is an area that is similar to a desk where objects can interact with each other, including robots and other objects, and thus can perform numerous activities. In it's current state, AEDROMO has client computers that interact with the system through an interface, and thus realize the communication between the user and AEDROMO. This project offer support to create a new form of interface for AEDROMO and can therefore be used for devices running Android, the app developed in this project will serve as a basis for future work on this new interface

Sistema para navegação de robôs móveis e interação humano-robô baseada em comandos de voz

This project is comprised by an interactive mobile robotics’ environment, focused in human-robot interaction. The system was developed to work in a smartphone, with Android operating system, embedded in a small size mobile robot. Information provided by the smartphone’s camera and microp hone, as well as by proximity sensors embedded in the robot, is used as inputs of a control architecture, implemented in software. It is a behavior-based and receptive to human commands control architecture, to assist the robot’s navigation. The robot is controlled by its own behaviors or by commands em it ted by humans