Obstacle Avoidance Design for Humanoid Robot Based on Four Infrared Sensors

(2004). Robo-Erectus: a low-cost autonomous humanoid soccer robot. Advanced Robotics: Vol. 18, No. 7, pp. 717-720.

This paper presents a new design for formation control on a group of autonomous humanoid robots with obstacle and collision avoidance ability that inspired by human walking behavior in a pedestrian crowd. This human walking behavior model is known as Social Force Model (SFM) and has been widely used to predict individual movement in a crowd in many variety of situation. We combine consensus algorithm with virtual structure approach for formation control and SFM for obstacle and collision avoidance. In this research, we induced some factors in SFM into consensus equation and then implemented into a group of humanoid robots. The aim of the integration is to create a group of robots that are capable of carrying out its collective tasks while still able to maintain its safety. The use of perception effect, distinct obstacle and collision avoidance function on the algorithm will differentiate algorithm with the others. The attractive feature of this new design is the various behaviors of robots to go back to their initial formation after they avoid obstacles. In the case of robot is trapped in a crowded situation (singularity condition), robot will still trying to look a new position, until it find a condition that allow him to move forward. We verify the proposed algorithm by some simulations and experiments.

This paper contributes to the problem of humanoid robot gait generation in unknown environments. The intention of the proposed method is to create an autonomous humanoid robot, able to take decisions and generate the appropriate optimal gait based on the information received by the eye system. Up to now, we have created two modules: walking and going upstairs. In order to create an autonomous humanoid robot, we plan to consider other tasks like going downstairs, creeping, obstacle overcoming, etc. In this paper, we present the simulation and experimental results for real time humanoid robot gait generation realized with the “Bonten‐Maru I” humanoid robot. The results showed that the Neural Network modules generate in a very short time a stable humanoid robot motion.

This work is part of an ongoing work for sign language tutoring with imitation based turn-taking and interaction games with humanoid robots. The aim of the project is to motivate the children with communication problems to understand and imitate the signs implemented by the humanoid robots. In this study, we implemented selected words from Turkish Sign Language Dictionary on autonomous humanoid robots (NAO H-25 and Robovie R3). We also examined the effects of interaction games on sign language teaching between participants with different age groups and the humanoid robot.

In 2013 the Editor of Journal of Vibration and Control and SAGE became aware of a peer review ring involving assumed and fabricated identities that appeared to centre around Peter Chen at National Pingtung University of Education, Taiwan (NPUE). SAGE and the Editor then began a complex investigation into the case during the rest of 2013 and 2014. Following an unsatisfactory response from Peter Chen, NPUE was notified. NPUE were serious in addressing the Journal and SAGE’s concerns. NPUE confirmed that the institution was investigating Peter Chen. SAGE subsequently uncovered a citation ring involving the above mentioned author and others. We regret that individual authors have compromised the academic record by perverting the peer review process and apologise to readers. On uncovering problems with peer review and citation SAGE immediately put steps in place to avoid similar vulnerability of the Journal to exploitation in the future. More information may be found at www.sagepub.co.uk/JVC_Statement_2014 . The Journal and SAGE understand from NPUE that Peter Chen has resigned his post at NPUE. The following articles are retracted because after thorough investigation evidence points towards them having at least one author or being reviewed by at least one reviewer who has been implicated in the peer review ring and/or citation ring. All authors have had an opportunity to respond to the allegations and proposed actions. OnlineFirst articles (these articles will not be published in an issue) Chen CY, Chen T-H, Chen Y-H, Yu S-E and Chung P-Y (2013) Information technology system modeling an integrated C-TAM-TPB model to the validation of ocean tidal analyses Journal of Vibration and Control Epub ahead of print 7 May 2013. doi: 10.1177/1077546312472924 Chang R-F, Chen CY, Su F-P and Lin H-C (2013) A two-step approach for broadband digital signal processing technique Journal of Vibration and Control Epub ahead of print 26 April 2013. doi: 10.1177/1077546312472925 Chen TH, Chang CJ, Yu SE, Chung PY and Liu C-K (2013) Nonlinear information analysis and system management technique: the influence of design experience and control complexity Journal of Vibration and Control Epub ahead of print 12 April 2013. doi: 10.1177/1077546312473321 Chen CY, Shih BY, Chen YH, Yu SE and Liu YC (2013) The exploration of a 3T flow model using vibrating NXT: II. Model validation Journal of Vibration and Control Epub ahead of print 10 April 2013. doi: 10.1177/1077546312470481 Chen CY, Shih BY, Chen YH, Yu SE and Liu YC (2013) The exploration of 3T flow model using vibrating NXT: I. model formulation Journal of Vibration and Control Epub ahead of print 6 February 2013. doi: 10.1177/1077546312467360 Lin M-L and Chen C-W (2013) Stability analysis of fuzzy-based NN modeling for ecosystems using fuzzy Lyapunov methods Journal of Vibration and Control Epub ahead of print 6 February 2013. doi: 10.1177/1077546312466687 Chen CY, Chen TH, Chen YH and Chiu J (2012) A multi-stage method for deterministic-statistical analysis: a mathematical case and measurement studies Journal of Vibration and Control Epub ahead of print 20 December 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312466579 Shih BY, Lin MC and Chen CY (2012) Autonomous navigation system for radiofrequency identification mobile robot e-book reader Journal of Vibration and Control Epub ahead of print 13 December 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312466578 Chang RF, Chen CY, Su FP, Lin HC and Lu C-K (2012) Multiphase SUMO robot based on an agile modeling-driven process for a small mobile robot Journal of Vibration and Control Epub ahead of print 13 December 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312464993 Shih B-Y, Lin Y-K, Cheng M-H, Chen C-Y and Chiu C-P (2012) The development of an application program interactive game-based information system Journal of Vibration and Control Epub ahead of print 12 December 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312464682 Chen C-Y, Chang C-J and Lin C-H (2012) On dynamic access control in web 2.0 and cloud interactive information hub: technologies Journal of Vibration and Control Epub ahead of print 12 December 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312464992 Shin BY, Chen CY and Hsu KH (2012) Robot cross platform system using innovative interactive theory and selection algorithms for Android application Journal of Vibration and Control Epub ahead of print 13 November 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312463757 Articles published in an issue Chen C-W (2014) Applications of neural-network-based fuzzy logic control to a nonlinear time-delay chaotic system Journal of Vibration and Control 20 (4): 589-605. Epub ahead of print 5 November 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312461370 Chen C-W (2014) A review of intelligent algorithm approaches and neural-fuzzy stability criteria for time-delay tension leg platform systems Journal of Vibration and Control 20 (4): 561-575. Epub ahead of print 5 November 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312463759 Chen C-Y, Chang C-J and Lin C-H (2014) On dynamic access control in web 2.0 and cloud interactive information hub: trends and theories Journal of Vibration and Control 20 (4): 548-560. Epub ahead of print 5 November 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312463762 Lin M-L and Chen C-W (2014) Stability conditions for ecosystem modeling using the fuzzy Lyapunov method Journal of Vibration and Control 20 (2): 290-302. Epub ahead of print 23 October 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312451301 Chen C-H, Kuo C-M, Hsieh S-H and Chen C-Y (2014) Highly efficient very-large-scale integration (VLSI) implementation of probabilistic neural network image interpolator Journal of Vibration and Control 20 (2): 218-224. Epub ahead of print 22 October 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312458822 Chen C-Y (2014) Wave vibration and simulation in dissipative media described by irregular boundary surfaces: a mathematical formulation Journal of Vibration and Control 20 (2): 191-203. Epub ahead of print 22 October 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312464258 Chen C-H, Yao T-K, Dai J-H and Chen C-Y (2014) A pipelined multiprocessor system- on-a-chip (SoC) design methodology for streaming signal processing Journal of Vibration and Control 20 (2): 163-178. Epub ahead of print 16 October 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312458821 Lin M-L and Chen C-W (2014) Fuzzy neural modeling for n-degree ecosystems using the linear matrix inequality approach Journal of Vibration and Control 20 (1): 82-93. Epub ahead of print 8 October 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312458533 Chen C-H, Wu W-X and Chen C-Y (2013) Ant-inspired collective problem-solving systems Journal of Vibration and Control 19 (16): 2481-2490. Epub ahead of print 18 September 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312456231 Chen C-H, Yao T-K, Kuo C-M and Chen C-Y (2013) Evolutionary design of constructive multilayer feedforward neural network Journal of Vibration and Control 19 (16): 2413-2420. Epub ahead of print 12 September 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312456726 Chen C-W (2013) Applications of the fuzzy-neural Lyapunov criterion to multiple time-delay systems Journal of Vibration and Control 19 (13): 2054-2067. Epub ahead of print 16 August 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312451034 Chung P-Y, Chen Y-H, Walter L and Chen C-Y (2013) Influence and dynamics of a mobile robot control on mechanical components Journal of Vibration and Control 19 (13): 1923-1935. Epub ahead of print 20 July 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312452184 Chen C-W (2013) Neural network-based fuzzy logic parallel distributed compensation controller for structural system Journal of Vibration and Control 19 (11): 1709-1727. Epub ahead of print 22 June 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312442233 Chen C-W, Yeh K, Yang H-C, Liu KFR and Liu C-C (2013) A critical review of structural system control by the large-scaled neural network linear-deferential-inclusion-based criterion Journal of Vibration and Control 19 (11): 1658-1673. Epub ahead of print 18 June 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312443377 Chen C-H, Kuo C-M, Chen C-Y and Dai J-H (2013) The design and synthesis using hierarchical robotic discrete-event modeling Journal of Vibration and Control 19 (11): 1603-1613. Epub ahead of print 27 June 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312449645 Chang CJ, Chen CY and Chou I-T (2013) The design of information and communication technologies: telecom MOD strength machines Journal of Vibration and Control 19 (10): 1499-1513. Epub ahead of print 27 June 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312449644 Shih B-Y, Chen C-Y, Li K-H, Wu T-Y, Chen G-Y (2013) A novel NXT control method for implementing force sensing and recycling in a training robot Journal of Vibration and Control 19 (10): 1443-1459. Epub ahead of print 1 June 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312446361 Chen C-W, Chen P-C and Chiang W-L (2013) Modified intelligent genetic algorithm-based adaptive neural network control for uncertain structural systems Journal of Vibration and Control 19 (9): 1333-1347. Epub ahead of print 31 May 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312442232 Chen C-Y, Shih B-Y, Shih C-H and Wang L-H (2013) Enhancing robust and stability control of a humanoid biped robot: system identification approach. Journal of Vibration and Control 19 (8): 1199-1207. Epub ahead of print 26 April 2012. doi: 10.1177/1077546312442947 Chang C-J, Chen C-Y and Huang C-W (2013) Applications for medical recovery using wireless control of a bluetooth ball with a hybrid G-sensor and human-computer interface technology Journal of Vi

Retraction notice

Many bridges in Taiwan have been in use from the period that Taiwan was governed by the Japanese, over 50 years ago, which is the average ultimate usable lifetime of such structures. Three-quarters of the bridges on major highways have been in use for more than 20 years and numerous bridges on country roads have also been in use for more than 20 years. In other words, most of the bridges in Taiwan are aging and may require repair or replacement. Ambient vibration tests are utilized to measure the response of old bridges, which are difficult to equip with accelerometers. The Fourier transform method is traditionally used to gain important information about ambient vibration records. However, the development of information technology over the last 20 years has meant that there are more kinds of signal management technologies, including the wavelet and Hilbert—Huang transform (HHT) methods. In this study we investigate the characteristics of aging bridges by comparison with their structural properties. We analyze their ambient vibration, and discuss the possible influence of the frequency function. Long-term environmental impacts create many structural problems, but with traditional methods examination of bridge health is difficult. Therefore, in our HHT management system, we examine destroyed bridges. The characteristics and behavior of bridges subjected to random loading can be understood by analysis with the random decrement technique and the frequency response function method.

Retraction notice

In this paper, a simple path correction and obstacle avoidance method with a bipedal robot for the learning stratification and performance, using an ultrasonic sensor and electronic compass sensor, is proposed. This bipedal robot was comprised using the Lego NXT Intelligent Bricks. The proposed method is implemented on an autonomous humanoid robot (the ARSR). One ultrasonic sensor and one electronic compass sensor are installed on the ARSR to detect environmental information including obstacles, the distance to the obstacle, and the directional angle of the robot. Based on the obtained information, an obstacle avoidance and path correct method is proposed to decide the ARSR's behavior so that it can avoid obstacles and move effectively to the destination area. Obstacle avoidance experiments are carried out to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method and confirm the learning stratification and performance.

International audience

Distributed formation control of multi humanoid robot system with obstacle avoidance and collision avoidance are presented. The architecture consists of several layers, namely consensus tracking, consensus based formation control, behaviour and physical robot layers. The formation control system was simulated in MATLAB software before it was implemented to humanoid NAO Aldebaran robots. In the experimental study the visual odometry was used to track the robots’ position and their moving direction. The result of the experiment showed that the distributed formation control design was succeed in directing the robots into their planned formation, avoiding obstacles, and avoiding collisions among themselves with certain communication topology, shape of formation, obstacles’ position and their number.

Active balancing in autonomous humanoid robots is a challenging task due to the complexity of combining a walking gait with dynamic balancing, vision and high-level behaviors. Humans not only walk successfully over even and uneven terrain, but can recover from the interaction of external forces such as impacts with obstacles and active pushes. While push recovery has been demonstrated successfully in expensive robots, it is more challenging with robots that are inexpensive, with limited power in actuators and less accurate sensing. This work describes a closed-loop control method that uses an accelerometer and gyroscope to allow an inexpensive humanoid robot to actively balance while walking and recover from pushes. An experiment is performed to test three hand-tuned closed-loop control configurations; using only a the gyroscope, only the accelerometer, and a combination of both sensors to recover from pushes. Experimental results show that the combination of gyroscope and accelerometer outperforms the other methods with 100% recovery from a light push and 70% recovery from a strong push.

Researchers’ goals shape the questions they raise, collaborators they choose, methods they use, and outcomes of their work. This article offers a fresh vision of artificial intelligence (AI) research by suggesting a simplification to two goals: 1) emulation to understand human abilities to build systems that perform tasks as well as or better than humans and 2) application of AI methods to build widely used products and services. Researchers and developers for each goal can fruitfully work along their desired paths, but this article is intended to limit the problems that arise when assumptions from one goal are used to drive work on the other goal. For example, autonomous humanoid robots are prominent with emulation researchers, but application developers avoid them, in favor of tool-like appliances or teleoperated devices for widely used commercial products and services. This article covers four such mismatches in goals that affect AI-guided application development: 1) intelligent agent or powerful tool; 2) simulated teammate or teleoperated device; 3) autonomous system or supervisory control; and 4) humanoid robot or mechanoid appliance. This article clarifies these mismatches to facilitate the discovery of workable compromise designs that will accelerate human-centered AI applications research. A greater emphasis on human-centered AI could reduce AI’s existential threats and increase benefits for users and society, such as in business, education, healthcare, environmental preservation, and community safety.

One of the core features of social robotics system is a physical interaction between humans and humanoid robots. This provides additional challenges, both from safety and usability prospectives. When dealing with human-robot interaction, human safety has the highest priority. While in industrial environment we have robot cells to protect humans, in social robotics, that we consider, physical contact is possible, as well as other interactions, with consequences that might be in psychological areas. For example, the conversation with children might have different requirements in comparison to the conversation with adults, the behavioural assumptions might be different, etc. This paper summarises the core results of a project on social robotics system, where an autonomous humanoid robot guides visitors through a lab tour. The results of our work were implemented on the humanoid PAL REEM robot. The implementation includes a web-application to support the management of robot-guided tours. The application also provides recommendations for the users as well as allows for a visual analysis of historical data on the tours.

Stable biped walking is an important and essential aspect in humanoid robots. In this paper, a method is proposed to control humanoid robot to walk stably based on Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) sensors and Inverted Pendulum Model (IPM). Firstly, an offline gait planning method is proposed based on IPM by using some parameters to describe walking process. Then Zero Moment Point (ZMP) can be calculated by using FSR sensors that attached to the feet. Thirdly, a ZMP controller is designed to adjust the robot’s ankle, hip and knee joint’s angle to make the robot walk stably. Finally, the performance of the proposed method is verified by walking experiments on a 21-DOFs humanoid robot, SCUT-I.KeywordsHumanoid robotZMPFSRInverted Pendulum Model