{"title":"Imitation for motor learning on humanoid robots","authors":"A. Aguirre, G. Tejera, J. Baliosian","doi":"10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215322","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215322","url":null,"abstract":"Motor control in humanoid robots is a challenging task due to the high number of degrees of freedom that must be dealt with; most solutions presented for the motion control area rely, heavily, on domain specific information about the robot or the concrete motor task to be developed, which makes it difficult or not viable to scale up in most cases. Learning by demonstration arises as an easier alternative for programming motor skills in robots, but, until now most of the proposed architectures are only validated using motor tasks which do not compromise the robot stability. This paper presents our ongoing work, the development of an easy to scale learning by demonstration architecture is proposed and validated using the gait of a biped robot as the skill to learn. Our proposed solution takes the motion captured information from a group of human masters executing the task as its input, and the output is computed by a genetic algorithm based on a joint position time series. Beginning with this, the robot can reproduce the assigned task using its own motor repertoire.","PeriodicalId":435860,"journal":{"name":"2017 Latin American Robotics Symposium (LARS) and 2017 Brazilian Symposium on Robotics (SBR)","volume":"20 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123934029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Towards a biologically-inspired model for underwater localization based on sensory-motor coupling","authors":"H. F. Chame, Paulo L. J. Drews-Jr, S. Botelho","doi":"10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215274","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215274","url":null,"abstract":"In recent years there has been a growing interest in studying biologically-inspired models for localization that can cope with the stochasticity of natural environments. Most of the works available have considered 2D navigation tasks in static and structured environments, such as the lab maze or the corridors of a building. Reactive navigation is usually employed, so the robot avoids colliding the walls or maintains itself in the center of the road. Thereby, the localization error is bounded by the physical structure of the environment. A different situation is encountered in underwater scenarios, where the agent has to move through the open 3D space, the perceptual cues are scarce, and the scene is dynamic. In this work, we present the design of a biologically-inspired model for operation in underwater missions. The main novelty of our proposal consists in considering the information redundancy provided by the sensory-motor coupling. Thus, perceptive information is anticipated as a means to improve the processing efficiency for large areas, to handle the dynamic aspect of the scene, and to detect abnormal situations. A preliminary evaluation conducted in simulation is reported in this paper, showing the plausibility of the model.","PeriodicalId":435860,"journal":{"name":"2017 Latin American Robotics Symposium (LARS) and 2017 Brazilian Symposium on Robotics (SBR)","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128662785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Information potential: A novel metric for information-based exploration","authors":"R. Colares, L. Chaimowicz","doi":"10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215291","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215291","url":null,"abstract":"The exploration of unknown environments is an important task for an autonomous robot. When exploring an unknown environment, robots face a common trade-off between visiting already mapped areas or exploring new areas. This can be done by using a planning stage in conjunction with the SLAM algorithm. This is normally called integrated exploration. In this paper, we propose a novel integrated exploration strategy based on the information potential of a frontier. By analyzing a region around a frontier, we are able to select the best frontier to explore in terms of exploration gain. We performed a series of experiments, simulated and real, comparing our approach with entropy, a common metric for information-based methods in the literature. Results show that our approach can explore the environment faster than using entropy.","PeriodicalId":435860,"journal":{"name":"2017 Latin American Robotics Symposium (LARS) and 2017 Brazilian Symposium on Robotics (SBR)","volume":"353 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115983495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"NARMA-L2-based control of wheeled mobile robots singularly perturbed by using neural networks: Curvilinear approach","authors":"C. P. Fernandez","doi":"10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215271","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215271","url":null,"abstract":"The present paper uses the learning ability of neural networks (NN) for nonlinear systems in order to design a controller for trajectory tracking problems in wheeled mobile robots that have their kinematic constraints violated. The singular perturbation approach is used to highlight the presence of uncertainties related to the violation of the kinematic constraints and propose an alternative global feedback law in order to regard un-modeled dynamic terms. To this end, a robust control scheme based on NARMA-L2 approach and a modified version of an already existing dynamic backpropagation algorithm are used to improve the tracking error performance. The robustness of the proposed controller is compared with the classic static-state linearization techniques and a converging tracking error toward a small neighborhood containing the origin will be viewed.","PeriodicalId":435860,"journal":{"name":"2017 Latin American Robotics Symposium (LARS) and 2017 Brazilian Symposium on Robotics (SBR)","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131320249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
D. Andrade, Akari Ishikawa, Amparo D. Munoz, E. Rohmer
{"title":"A hybrid approach for the actuation of upper limb prostheses based on computer vision","authors":"D. Andrade, Akari Ishikawa, Amparo D. Munoz, E. Rohmer","doi":"10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215308","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215308","url":null,"abstract":"When a prosthesis that has a complicated process of selecting grip modes is presented to an amputee, he tends to give up using the device. Nowadays, most of the commercial interfaces for prosthetic hands are based on electromyography (EMG), and they are difficult to control due to the complexity of the activation methods. The multimodal approaches proposed in the literature to succeed in dealing with this problem have either limited the user to one way of interaction with objects or did not overcome the gap between research and clinical application. To change this scenario, we propose a hybrid technique based on computer vision and EMG for the activation of an upper limb prosthesis. With this interface, the user sends a simple command using an EMG interface to take a picture of the object they want to interact with, leaving the system to suggest the user which interaction is more likely correct from the recognized object name. The main contribution is a prosthetic control interface that allows the user to choose among types of interactions to accomplish the desired task using only three different movements. Without the need to learn more than three different patterns of contractions, the control interface becomes easier and less cognitive effort is required from users. Moreover, the platform presented in this paper does not limit the user regarding the number of possible interactions the user can perform.","PeriodicalId":435860,"journal":{"name":"2017 Latin American Robotics Symposium (LARS) and 2017 Brazilian Symposium on Robotics (SBR)","volume":"17 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114359608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Path planning at roundabouts using piecewise linear continuous curvature curves","authors":"Júnior A. R. Silva, V. Grassi","doi":"10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215288","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215288","url":null,"abstract":"The number of roundabouts has been increased as they have demonstrated improvements over unsignalized and signalized intersections regarding safety, traffic flow, access management, etc. In this sense, autonomous vehicles should satisfactorily deal with the problem of path planning at these circular intersections. Approaches proposed in literature employ optimization techniques to improve the level of comfort and to ensure bounded curvature subjected to the vehicle's kinematic constraints. This paper describes a path planning approach for autonomous vehicles using clothoids, circular arcs, and straight lines, whose curvature is piecewise linear and continuous as well. The planned path provides smooth driving because of the linear variation of the curvature with respect to the traveled distance. The roundabout path planner interpolates the desired configurations of the vehicle at roundabout entrance and exit with G2 continuity as traveling along the circular roadway. The proposed approach was tested on real and simulated doublelane roundabouts and results demonstrate the effectiveness of the path planning, which ensure bounded curvature and low curvature derivative, providing driving comfort.","PeriodicalId":435860,"journal":{"name":"2017 Latin American Robotics Symposium (LARS) and 2017 Brazilian Symposium on Robotics (SBR)","volume":"85 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124884325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marco A. C. Simões, Emmanuel Argollo, Sérgio Souza, Wellington Santos, J. Souza
{"title":"Optimizing basic skills on humanoid robots","authors":"Marco A. C. Simões, Emmanuel Argollo, Sérgio Souza, Wellington Santos, J. Souza","doi":"10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8319465","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8319465","url":null,"abstract":"One of the great challenges when developing a team of humanoid robots is to achieve good performance on basic skills such as walking or kicking. In this paper we describe a successful approach used to optimize three basic skills in a robotic soccer team of humanoid robots. We optimized the walking skill, low level navigation and dynamic kicking. We have enhanced all these skills compared to the previous team to a level similar to the best teams in the world. We used a framework based on RoboCup 3D Simulation League.","PeriodicalId":435860,"journal":{"name":"2017 Latin American Robotics Symposium (LARS) and 2017 Brazilian Symposium on Robotics (SBR)","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131802904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Blind IQA for Pictures in extreme conditions: Experimental evaluation on metallic surfaces","authors":"C. Steffens, Valquiria Huttner, S. Botelho","doi":"10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215341","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215341","url":null,"abstract":"In this work, several state-of-the-art Blind Image Quality Assessment (IQA) metrics and measures are evaluated in order to verify how they behave on extreme conditions such as the ones found on pictures of metallic surfaces. This is an important research topic given that the automation of the image acquisition comprehends one of the essential steps towards the automation and autonomy in many fields. Among others, obtaining quality images of shiny and reflective surfaces is in the interest of the factory automation, autonomous cars, autonomous mobile robots, and care-giving robots industries. These quality assessment algorithms come in handy for auto-focusing, aperture adjustment, camera parameterization, and image composition algorithms in general. A new dataset is developed to address this distinct category of images. Experimental results are provided to assess the performance of the known metrics on the metallic surfaces. Results show that some of the metrics in prior work correlate with the human interpretation, making them a suitable option to improve the image acquisition and the overall performance of computer vision systems operating in challenging environments.","PeriodicalId":435860,"journal":{"name":"2017 Latin American Robotics Symposium (LARS) and 2017 Brazilian Symposium on Robotics (SBR)","volume":"39 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122340910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Performance analysis of positioning controller for mobile robots","authors":"R. Fernandes, Manuel Moises Bessa, A. Brandão","doi":"10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215279","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215279","url":null,"abstract":"This article presents a comparison of four nonlinear controllers for positioning tasks of a unicycle-like mobile robot. The controller performance is analyzed through three indexes: IAE, ITAE and IASC. The analysis is performed experimentally. Initially, the controller gains are tuned by simulation until IAE index is less than 5% comparatively. Next, the controllers are run in practice and ITAE and IASC indexes are analyzed. The objectives are to analyze the convergence time to the desired goal and the energy consumption for the mission accomplishment. The controller stability is demonstrated in the sense of Lyapunov and validated experimentally.","PeriodicalId":435860,"journal":{"name":"2017 Latin American Robotics Symposium (LARS) and 2017 Brazilian Symposium on Robotics (SBR)","volume":"88 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128629416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Employing a fully convolutional neural network for road marking detection","authors":"Luiz Ricardo Takeshi Horita, V. Grassi","doi":"10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215297","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SBR-LARS-R.2017.8215297","url":null,"abstract":"Since road markings are one of the main landmarks used for traffic guidance, perceiving them may be a crucial task for autonomous vehicles. In visual approaches, road marking detection consists in detecting pixels of an image that corresponds to a road marking. Recently, most approaches have aimed on detecting lane markings only, and few of them proposed methods to detect other types of road markings. Moreover, most of those approaches are based on local gradient, which provides noisy detections caused by cluttered images. In this paper, we propose an alternative approach based on a deep Fully Convolutional Neural Network (FCNN) with an encoder-decoder architecture for road marking detection and segmentation. The experimental results reveal that the proposed approach can detect any road marking type in a high level of accuracy, resulting in a smooth segmentation.","PeriodicalId":435860,"journal":{"name":"2017 Latin American Robotics Symposium (LARS) and 2017 Brazilian Symposium on Robotics (SBR)","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128411680","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}