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Showing papers in "IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine in 2015"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Yale-Carnegie Mellon University-Berkeley object and model set is presented, intended to be used to facilitate benchmarking in robotic manipulation research and to enable the community of manipulation researchers to more easily compare approaches and continually evolve standardized benchmarking tests and metrics as the field matures.
Abstract: In this article, we present the Yale-Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)-Berkeley (YCB) object and model set, intended to be used to facilitate benchmarking in robotic manipulation research. The objects in the set are designed to cover a wide range of aspects of the manipulation problem. The set includes objects of daily life with different shapes, sizes, textures, weights, and rigidities as well as some widely used manipulation tests. The associated database provides high-resolution red, green, blue, plus depth (RGB-D) scans, physical properties, and geometric models of the objects for easy incorporation into manipulation and planning software platforms. In addition to describing the objects and models in the set along with how they were chosen and derived, we provide a framework and a number of example task protocols, laying out how the set can be used to quantitatively evaluate a range of manipulation approaches, including planning, learning, mechanical design, control, and many others. A comprehensive literature survey on the existing benchmarks and object data sets is also presented, and their scope and limitations are discussed. The YCB set will be freely distributed to research groups worldwide at a series of tutorials at robotics conferences. Subsequent sets will be, otherwise, available to purchase at a reasonable cost. It is our hope that the ready availability of this set along with the ground laid in terms of protocol templates will enable the community of manipulation researchers to more easily compare approaches as well as continually evolve standardized benchmarking tests and metrics as the field matures.

462 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A soft wearable hand robot called the Exo-Glove that uses a soft tendon routing system and an underactuation adaptive mechanism and can be used to develop other types of soft wearable robots.
Abstract: Soft wearable robots are good alternatives to rigid-frame exoskeletons because they are compact and lightweight. This article describes a soft wearable hand robot called the Exo-Glove that uses a soft tendon routing system and an underactuation adaptive mechanism. The proposed system can be used to develop other types of soft wearable robots. The glove part of the system is compact and weighs 194 g. The results conducted using a healthy subject showed sufficient performance for the execution of daily life activities, namely a pinch force of 20 N, a wrap grasp force of 40 N, and a maximum grasped object size of 76 mm. The use of an underactuation mechanism enabled the grasping of objects of various shapes without active control. A subject suffering from paralysis of the hands due to a spinal cord injury was able to use the glove to grasp objects of various shapes.

355 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The PCL incorporates methods for the initial alignment of point clouds using a variety of local shape feature descriptors, as well as methods for refining initial alignments using different variants of the well-known iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm.
Abstract: Registration is an important step when processing three-dimensional (3-D) point clouds. Applications for registration range from object modeling and tracking, to simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). This article presents the open-source point cloud library (PCL) and the tools available for point cloud registration. The PCL incorporates methods for the initial alignment of point clouds using a variety of local shape feature descriptors, as well as methods for refining initial alignments using different variants of the well-known iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm. This article provides an overview on registration algorithms, usage examples of their PCL implementations, and tips for their application. Since the choice and parameterization of the right algorithm for a particular type of data is one of the biggest problems in 3-D point cloud registration, we present three complete examples of data (and applications) and the respective registration pipeline in the PCL. These examples include dense red-green-blue-depth (RGB-D) point clouds acquired by consumer color and depth cameras, high-resolution laser scans from commercial 3-D scanners, and low-resolution sparse point clouds captured by a custom lightweight 3-D scanner on a microaerial vehicle (MAV).

270 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This method first models the STSP as a hybrid Petri net (PN) and then derives critically important schedulability conditions and adopts efficient heuristics to solve subproblems with continuous variables and discrete variables.
Abstract: To effectively operate a refinery and make it competitive, efficient short-term scheduling techniques that utilize commercial software tools for practical applications need to be developed. However, cumbersome details make it difficult to solve the short-term scheduling problem (STSP) of crudeoil operations, and mathematical programming models fail to meet the industrial needs. This article proposes an innovative control-theoretic and formal model-based method to tackle this long-standing issue. This method first models the STSP as a hybrid Petri net (PN) and then derives critically important schedulability conditions. The conditions are used to decompose a complex problem into several tractable subproblems. In each subproblem, there are either continuous variables or discrete variables. For subproblems with continuous variables, this work proposes a linear programming-based method to solve them; while, for subproblems with discrete variables, this work adopts efficient heuristics. Consequently, the STSP is efficiently resolved,and the application of the proposed method is well illustrated via industrial case studies.

118 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review article classifies the locking devices currently described in the literature and performs a comparative study to help designers better determine which locking device best matches the needs of their application.
Abstract: Locking devices are widely used in robotics, for instance to lock springs and joints or to reconfigure robots. This review article classifies the locking devices currently described in the literature and performs a comparative study. Designers can therefore better determine which locking device best matches the needs of their application. The locking devices are divided into three main categories based on different locking principles: 1) mechanical locking, 2) friction-based locking, and 3) singularity locking. Different locking devices in each category can be passive or active. Based on an extensive literature survey, this article summarizes the findings by comparing different locking devices on a set of properties of an ideal locking device.

112 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The goal of the MRTC is to foster research on robots and intelligent systems that extend the human capabilities in marine environments and to promote maritime robotic applications important to science, industry, and defense.
Abstract: The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Marine Robotics Technical Committee (MRTC) was first established in 2008 following the dismissal of the Underwater Robotics Technical Committee in spring 2008. The goal of the MRTC is to foster research on robots and intelligent systems that extend the human capabilities in marine environments and to promote maritime robotic applications important to science, industry, and defense. The TC organizes conferences, workshops, and special issues that bring marine robotics research to the forefront of the broader robotics community. The TC also introduces its members to the latest development of marine robotics through Web sites and online social media.

105 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work states that there is no efficient solution for this version of the motion planning problem, and the addition of differential constraints on robot motion or more general goal specifications makes motion planning even harder.
Abstract: Motion planning is a key problem in robotics that is concerned with finding a path that satisfies a goal specification subject to constraints. In its simplest form, the solution to this problem consists of finding a path connecting two states, and the only constraint is to avoid collisions. Even for this version of the motion planning problem, there is no efficient solution for the general case [1]. The addition of differential constraints on robot motion or more general goal specifications makes motion planning even harder. Given its complexity, most planning algorithms forego completeness and optimality for slightly weaker notions such as resolution completeness, probabilistic completeness [2], and asymptotic optimality.

104 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Perception and navigation systems for a family of autonomous orchard vehicles are presented to enable safe and reliable driving in modern planting environments and indicate that replacing ladders with autonomous vehicles will make orchard work safer and more comfortable.
Abstract: This article presents perception and navigation systems for a family of autonomous orchard vehicles. The systems are customized to enable safe and reliable driving in modern planting environments. The perception system is based on a global positioning system (GPS)-free sensor suite composed of a twodimensional (2-D) laser scanner, wheel and steering encoders, and algorithms that process the sensor data and output the vehicle's location in the orchard and guidance commands for row following and turning. Localization is based on range data to premapped landmarks, currently one at the beginning and one at the end of each tree row. The navigation system takes as inputs the vehicle's current location and guidance commands, plans trajectories for row following and turning, and drives the motors to achieve fully autonomous block coverage. The navigation system also includes an obstacle detection subsystem that prevents the vehicle from colliding with people, trees, and bins. To date, the vehicles sporting the perception and navigation infrastructure have traversed over 350 km in research and commercial orchards and nurseries in several U.S. states. Time trials showed that the autonomous orchard vehicles enable efficiency gains of up to 58% for fruit production tasks conducted on the top part of trees when compared with the same task performed on ladders. Anecdotal evidence collected from growers and workers indicates that replacing ladders with autonomous vehicles will make orchard work safer and more comfortable.

79 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: SynGrasp is a MATLAB toolbox for grasp analysis of fully or underactuated robotic hands with compliance that investigates the main grasp properties: controllable forces and object displacement, manipulability analysis, and grasp stiffness and quality measures.
Abstract: SynGrasp is a MATLAB toolbox for grasp analysis of fully or underactuated robotic hands with compliance. Compliance can be modeled at contact points in the joints or in the actuation system, including transmission. It is possible to use a graphical user interface (GUI) or directly assemble and modify the available functions to exploit all of the toolbox features. Grasps can be described either using the provided grasp planner or by directly defining contact points on the hand with the respective contact normal directions. Several analysis functions have been developed to investigate the main grasp properties: 1) controllable forces and object displacement, 2) manipulability analysis, and 3) grasp stiffness and quality measures. The functions for the graphical representation of the hand and object as well as the main analysis results are provided. The toolbox is freely available at http://syngrasp.dii.unisi.it.

76 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article proposes a modular approach based on least commitment, which integrates all modules through a uniform constraint-based paradigm and describes an instantiation of this system, showing evidence of increased flexibility at the control level to adapt to contingencies.
Abstract: In this article, we address the problem of realizing a complete efficient system for automated management of fleets of autonomous ground vehicles in industrial sites. We elicit from current industrial practice and the scientific state of the art the key challenges related to autonomous transport vehicles in industrial environments and relate them to enabling techniques in perception, task allocation, motion planning, coordination, collision prediction, and control. We propose a modular approach based on least commitment, which integrates all modules through a uniform constraint-based paradigm. We describe an instantiation of this system and present a summary of the results, showing evidence of increased flexibility at the control level to adapt to contingencies.

67 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: There has been an increasing interest in soft-robotics research in recent years, and this is reflected in a number of reviews of the topic from different perspectives, including design, fabrication, and control as well as sensors and actuators.
Abstract: There has been an increasing interest in soft-robotics research in recent years, and this is reflected in a number of reviews of the topic from different perspectives. For example, in what was probably the first review article using the term soft robotics, [1] focused on actuators, while [2] reviewed the topic by concentrating on fabrication techniques. Three more reviews addressed control [3], biomimetics [4], and materials [5], respectively. Furthermore, in the first issue of Soft Robotics, there are seven review articles from active researchers in the field. More recently, another review [6] and an edited book [7] have tried to cover a number of topics, including design, fabrication, and control as well as sensors and actuators. All of these efforts have helped draw attention to soft robotics and summarized some of the most recent studies.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A lightweight robotic transtibial prosthesis with damping behaviors for terrain adaptation is presented, which mainly consists of a low-power motor and a damping control strategy is proposed to enable the prosthesis to manipulate the ankle impedance during stance with little power consumption.
Abstract: Active transtibial prostheses that can overcome the deficiencies of passive prostheses are gaining popularity in the research field. In addition to the advantages in joint torque and gait symmetry, terrain adaptation and total weight are other benefits that can help push active prostheses into the commercial market. In this article, we present a lightweight robotic transtibial prosthesis with damping behaviors for terrain adaptation. The proposed prosthesis, which mainly consists of a low-power motor, weighs only 1.3 kg, excluding the battery. It focuses on terrain adaptation instead of providing positive work at the stance phase. A damping control strategy is proposed to enable the prosthesis to manipulate the ankle impedance during stance with little power consumption. Experiments with three amputee subjects using the robotic prosthesis on different terrains show similar angle trajectories to the intact limb during the controlled flexion (CF) period as well as improved gait symmetry and walking stability compared with the robotic prosthesis in the maximal damping mode. The average power consumption of the prosthesis during one gait cycle is around 3.5 W, and a 0.28-kg rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery can sustain a usage duration of more than 12 h or 20,000 steps.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown how the competition drives humanoid robot research and serves as a benchmark to measure progress and how the league may evolve over the coming years until 2050, when a team of autonomous humanoid robots shall play soccer against the human world champion.
Abstract: This article describes the history and major achievements of the RoboCup Humanoid League from its start in 2002 to today. Furthermore, it gives an indication on how the league may evolve over the coming years until 2050, when a team of autonomous humanoid robots shall play soccer against the human world champion. We show how the competition drives humanoid robot research and serves as a benchmark to measure progress.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The articles in this special section focus on robotis measurement techniques and report replicable experiments,benchmarking methods, and a couple of exemplary surveys on competitions.
Abstract: The articles in this special section focus on robotis measurement techniques. The articles report replicable experiments,benchmarking methods, and a couple of exemplary surveys on competitions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that the RoCKIn approach offers tools that enable the replicability of experimental results, by further articulating replicable into reproducibility and repeatability.
Abstract: Scientific experiments and robotic competitions share some common traits that can put the debate about developing better experimental methodologies and replicability of results in robotics research on more solid ground. In this context, the Robot Competitions Kick Innovation in Cognitive Systems and Robotics (RoCKIn) project aims to develop competitions that come close to scientific experiments, providing an objective performance evaluation of robot systems under controlled and replicable conditions. In this article, by further articulating replicability into reproducibility and repeatability and by considering some results from the 2014 first RoCKIn competition, we show that the RoCKIn approach offers tools that enable the replicability of experimental results.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The essential control aspects required to operate these robots are elaborated and well-established torque control methods to a variable stiffness robot, the DLR Hand Arm System (HASy), are generalized.
Abstract: Strict requirements must be met before robotic systems can be implemented in a human environment, for example, as service robots. Robustness, task adaptability, and energy efficiency are key aspects in this regard. Variable stiffness robots have been shown to be one step toward achieving these standards. In this article, we elaborate on the essential control aspects required to operate these robots and generalize well-established torque control methods to a variable stiffness robot, the DLR Hand Arm System (HASy). The adaptation and implementation of several control approaches for the compliant robots are also presented, with a focus on the experimental validation.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is comparatively easy to make computers exhibit adult-level performance on intelligence tests or playing checkers, and difficult to give them the skills of a one-year-old when it comes to perception and dexterity.
Abstract: It is comparatively easy to make computers exhibit adult-level performance on intelligence tests or playing checkers, and difficult to give them the skills of a one-year-old when it comes to perception and dexterity" [1]. More than 15 years after it was first stated, Moravec's paradox still holds true today. Fueled by vigorous research in machine learning, the gap has consistently narrowed on the perception side. However, most of the fine manual motor skills displayed by a toddler are, to date, far beyond what robots can do. It is true that many valuable tasks involving physical interaction with objects can be solved by contemporary robots as indicated by a thriving industrial robotics sector. However, in the future, robots are expected to work side by side with humans in unstructured environments, and the ability to reliably grasp and manipulate objects used in everyday activities will be an unavoidable requirement. Today's robots are far from being ready for this challenge.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The objective of this article is to define the basis of a benchmarking scheme for the assessment of bipedal locomotion that could be applied and shared across different research communities.
Abstract: In the field of robotics, there is a growing awareness of the importance of benchmarking [1], [2]. Benchmarking not only allows the assessment and comparison of the performance of different technologies but also defines and supports the standardization and regulation processes during their introduction to the market. Its importance has been recently emphasized by the adoption of the technology readiness levels (TRLs) in the Horizon 2020 information and communication technologies by the European Union as an important guideline to assess when a technology can shift from one TRL to the other. The objective of this article is to define the basis of a benchmarking scheme for the assessment of bipedal locomotion that could be applied and shared across different research communities.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A new concept of using an autonomous surface vehicle as a private satellite that tracks divers, thus significantly increasing diving safety and enhancing diver navigation and enables reliable monitoring from the surface is described.
Abstract: Diving is a high-risk activity due to the hazardous environment, dependence on technical equipment for life support, complexity of underwater navigation, and limited monitoring from the surface. This article describes a new concept of using an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) as a private satellite that tracks divers, thus significantly increasing diving safety. Since the vehicle is above the diver at all times, acoustic communication with the diver interface in the form of an underwater tablet is more efficient and robust, which enhances diver navigation and enables reliable monitoring from the surface. This article focuses on a diver-tracking control structure that uses a diver motion estimator to determine diver position, even in cases when acoustic position measurements are not available.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This path-planning method was found to have a large impact on the amount of power generated in the morning/evening and at high-latitude regions relative to in the daytime and at low-latitudes regions on the moon.
Abstract: This article presents a comprehensive path-planning method for lunar and planetary exploration rovers. In this method, two new elements are introduced as evaluation indices for path planning: 1) determined by the rover design and 2) derived from a target environment. These are defined as the rover's internal and external elements, respectively. In this article, the rover's locomotion mechanism and insolation (i.e., shadow) conditions were considered to be the two elements that ensure the rover's safety and energy, and the influences of these elements on path planning were described. To examine the influence of the locomotion mechanism on path planning, experiments were performed using track and wheel mechanisms, and the motion behaviors were modeled. The planned paths of the tracked and wheeled rovers were then simulated based on their motion behaviors. The influence of the insolation condition was considered through path plan simulations conducted using various lunar latitudes and times. The simulation results showed that the internal element can be used as an evaluation index to plan a safe path that corresponds to the traveling performance of the rover's locomotion mechanism. The path derived for the tracked rover was found to be straighter than that derived for the wheeled rover. The simulation results also showed that path planning using the external element as an additional index enhances the power generated by solar panels under various insolation conditions. This path-planning method was found to have a large impact on the amount of power generated in the morning/evening and at high-latitude regions relative to in the daytime and at low-latitude regions on the moon. These simulation results suggest the effectiveness of the proposed pathplanning method.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A model is an abstract representation of a real system or phenomenon to capture important properties of reality and to eglect irrelevant details.
Abstract: A model is an abstract representation of a real system or phenomenon [1]. The idea of a model is to capture important properties of reality and to eglect irrelevant details. The properties that are relevant and that can be neglected depend on the purpose of creating a model. A model can make a particular system or phenomenon easier to understand, quantify, visualize, simulate, or predict.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Even though only soft real-time applications can be implemented, JOpenShowVar opens up to a variety of possible applications, making the use of various input devices and sensors as well as the development of alternative control methods possible.
Abstract: JOpenShowVar is a Java open-source cross-platform communication interface to Kuka industrial robots. This novel interface allows for read-write use of the controlled manipulator variables and data structures. JOpenShowVar, which is compatible with all the Kuka industrial robots that use KUKA Robot Controller version 4 (KR C4) and KUKA Robot Controller version 2 (KR C2), runs as a client on a remote computer connected with the Kuka controller via TCP/IP. Even though only soft real-time applications can be implemented, JOpenShowVar opens up to a variety of possible applications, making the use of various input devices and sensors as well as the development of alternative control methods possible.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown how the quadrotor can be stabilized and controlled to achieve autonomous flight and the generation of three-dimensional (3-D) maps for exploring and mapping indoor buildings with application to smart homes, search and rescue, and architecture.
Abstract: Consumer-grade technology seen in cameras and phones has led to the price-performance ratio falling dramatically over the last decade. We are seeing a similar trend in robots that leverage this technology. A recent development is the interest of companies such as Google, Apple, and Qualcomm in high-end communication devices equipped with such sensors as cameras and inertial measurement units (IMUs) and with significant computational capability. Google, for instance, is developing a customized phone equipped with conventional as well as depth cameras. This article explores the potential for the rapid integration of inexpensive consumer-grade electronics with the off-the-shelf robotics technology for automation in homes and offices. We describe how standard hardware platforms (robots, processors, and smartphones) can be integrated through simple software architecture to build autonomous quadrotors that can navigate and map unknown, indoor environments. We show how the quadrotor can be stabilized and controlled to achieve autonomous flight and the generation of three-dimensional (3-D) maps for exploring and mapping indoor buildings with application to smart homes, search and rescue, and architecture. This opens up the possibility for any consumer to take a commercially available robot platform and a smartphone and automate the process of creating a 3-D map of his/her home or office.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article describes how solutions from the recent literature can be employed on the cloud during a periodically updated preprocessing phase to efficiently answer manipulation queries on the robot given changes in the workspace.
Abstract: The goal of this article is to highlight the benefits of cloud automation for industrial adopters and some of the research challenges that must be addressed in this process. The focus is on the use of cloud computing for efficiently planning the motion of new robot manipulators designed for flexible manufacturing floors. In particular, different ways that a robot can interact with a computing cloud are considered, where an architecture that splits computation between the remote cloud and the robot appears advantageous. Given this synergistic robot-cloud architecture, this article describes how solutions from the recent literature can be employed on the cloud during a periodically updated preprocessing phase to efficiently answer manipulation queries on the robot given changes in the workspace. In this setup, interesting tradeoffs arise between path quality and computational efficiency, which are evaluated through simulation. These tradeoffs motivate further research on how motion planning should be executed given access to a computing cloud.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A new interprocess communication (IPC) library is presented, Ach, which addresses the need for real-time multiprocess control on three humanoid robots and reduces communication latency and guarantees access to the latest sample.
Abstract: Correct real-time software is vital for robots in safety-critical roles such as service and disaster response. These systems depend on software for locomotion, navigation, manipulation, and even seemingly innocuous tasks such as safely regulating battery voltage. A multiprocess software design increases robustness by isolating errors to a single process, allowing the rest of the system to continue operation. This approach also assists with modularity and concurrency. For real-time tasks, such as dynamic balance and force control of manipulators, it is critical to communicate the latest data sample with minimum latency. There are many communication approaches intended for both general-purpose and real-time needs [9], [13], [15], [17], [19]. Typical methods focus on reliable communication or network transparency and accept a tradeoff of increased message latency or the potential to discard newer data. By focusing instead on the specific case of real-time communication on a single host, we reduce communication latency and guarantee access to the latest sample. We present a new interprocess communication (IPC) library, Ach which addresses this need, and discuss its application for real-time multiprocess control on three humanoid robots (Figure 1). (Ach is available at http://www.golems.org/projects/ach.html. The name Ach comes from the common abbreviation for the motor neurotransmitter Acetylcholine and the computer networking term ACK.)

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article reports on the first robotic system for vitrification of mammalian embryos, embedded with two contact detection methods to determine the relative z positions of the vitrification micropipette, embryo, and vitrification straw.
Abstract: This article reports on the first robotic system for vitrification of mammalian embryos. Vitrification is a technique used for preserving oocytes and embryos in clinical in vitro fertilization (IVF). The procedure involves multiple steps of stringently timed pick-and-place operation for processing an oocyte/embryo in vitrification media. In IVF clinics, the vitrification is conducted manually by highly skilled embryologists. Processing one oocyte/embryo takes the embryologist 15-20 min, depending on the protocols chosen to implement. Due to poor reproducibility and inconsistency across operators, the success and survival rates also vary significantly. Through collaboration with IVF clinics, we are in the process of realizing robotic vitrification (RoboVitri) and ultimately aim to standardize clinical vitrification from manual operation to fully automated robotic operation. Our robotic system is embedded with two contact detection methods to determine the relative z positions of the vitrification micropipette, embryo, and vitrification straw. A three-dimensional (3-D) tracking algorithm is developed for visually served embryo transfer and real-time monitoring of embryo volume changes during vitrification. The excess medium is automatically removed from around the vitrified embryo on the vitrification straw to achieve a high cooling rate.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The human odometry outdoor data set (HOOD) is presented, a public data set for the PDR systems and the wearable human activity recognition folder (WHARF), a public repository forhuman activity recognition (HAR), composed of over 1,000 acceleration recordings referring to 14 daily activities, and a MATLAB library allowing the creation and validation of acceleration models of the activities.
Abstract: The recent technological advances in sensor miniaturization and embedded processing have provided new challenges and possibilities to the field of wearable computing Two research areas are particularly interested by this innovation: healthcare technology applications that are devoted to analyzing the daily activities of a person to evaluate their general health, and personal dead reckoning (PDR) systems that focus on the analysis of the person's movements to keep track of his/her position in dangerous environments and situations The identification of suitable algorithms and techniques to process wearable sensors data is a research challenge that must be overcome for both areas The possibility to compare different solutions over public test benches is crucial to this aim For this reason, we present the human odometry outdoor data set (HOOD), a public data set for the PDR systems and the wearable human activity recognition folder (WHARF), a public repository for human activity recognition (HAR), composed of over 1,000 acceleration recordings referring to 14 daily activities, and a MATLAB library allowing the creation and validation of acceleration models of the activities

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The goal of autonomous mobile manipulation is to obtain an integrated system that can combine a large variety of hardware and software components to increase the tasks that the robot can perform, while decreasing the dependency on a priori information and increasing the awareness of the robot to its current situation.
Abstract: The goal of autonomous mobile manipulation is the execution of complex manipulation tasks in both structured and unstructured environments, possibly in cooperation or close interaction with human beings. This entails challenges in different fields: perception, navigation, task and path planning, control, error recovery, and human-robot interaction. Each field is an area of research on its own, but the special challenge in mobile manipulation is to obtain an integrated system that can combine a large variety of hardware and software components to increase the tasks that the robot can perform, while decreasing the dependency on a priori information and increasing the awareness of the robot to its current situation. Challenges in the field arise from the high-dimensional spaces associated to systems with high number of actuators and sensors, uncertainty in perception and execution of the tasks, generality of the solutions required to manipulate objects in the real world, and engineering and scientific complexity of the systems required for these tasks.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article assess the main challenges, problems, vision, and future steps on the topic of codesign and rapid fabrication of robotic systems.
Abstract: Robots are complex systems, and their design requires detailed knowledge of diverse fields, including mechanics, electronics, software, and control theory. Thus, our ability to rapidly create robotic systems requires a synergy between these diverse disciplines. In the near future, new paradigms and tools will be needed for on-demand design generation; new fabrication methods will be needed to realize custom electromechanical devices; and new algorithms and programming languages will be necessary to define, evaluate, and optimize behavioral specifications and designs. In this article, we assess the main challenges, problems, vision, and future steps on the topic of codesign and rapid fabrication of robotic systems.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Robot Operating System has gained wide currency for the creation of working robotic systems, initially in the laboratory but now also in industry.
Abstract: The Robot Operating System (ROS) has gained wide currency for the creation of working robotic systems, initially in the laboratory but now also in industry. Despite ongoing evolution, the fundamental principles of publishing and subscribing on topics, application-specific messages, invoking services, and sharing parameters have remained constant.The primary programming environment for those working with ROS is C++ and Python, though using Java is also possible.