Hiroyuki Masuta

Hierarchical growing neural gas for information structured space

In this paper, we discuss a robot vision in order to perceive people and the environment around a mobile robot. We developed a tele-operated mobile robot with a pan-tilt mechanism composed of a camera and a laser range finder (LRF). In this paper, we propose a method for sensor fusion to extract a human from the measured data by integrating these outputs based on the concept of synthesis. Next, we propose a method of hierarchical neural network based on Growing neural gas to construct a 3D environmental relation. Finally, we show experimental results of the proposed method.

Stability control and pattern generation for biped humanoid robot

This paper describes stability control for a biped humanoid robot. The stability control consists of ZMP compensation control and inverted pendulum control for the robot to walk stably on the ground. The ZMP compensation control compensates the displacement of the waist according to ZMP, and the inverted pendulum control accelerates ZMP to the falling direction of the robot. Also, a whole motion pattern generation based on the preview control is developed. It enables the robot to walk with arm swings. According to the walking parameters, the angles of the whole body are calculated by inverse kinematics. In order to verify the effectiveness of the pattern generation and the control method, the simulation of the whole body motion is conducted by using Adams and MATLAB/Simulink.

Control architecture for human friendly robots based on interacting with human

This paper discusses a control architecture for human friendly robot. Recently, robot middleware is developed for intelligent robot software platform. The robot system can be constructed by making the program of each functional module and connecting each other module. However, software architecture for connecting various modules is not provided now, therefore general versatility of a software module is deteriorated. In particular, a human friendly robot is very complicated relationship between software modules, because it should consider various situations such as human interaction, communication and safety. Therefore, we propose a control software architecture for a human friendly robot. We verify that availability of our proposal through experiments of clearing a table. Moreover, we add some intelligent modules on the proposed architecture to discuss availability of our proposed software architecture.

Perceptual system using spiking neural network for an intelligent robot

This paper discusses a integrated perceptual system for intelligent control of a service robot. The robot should be able to perceive the environment flexibly to realize intelligent behavior. We focus on the perceptual system based on the perceiving-acting cycle discussed in ecological psychology. We propose a perceptual system composed of the retinal model and the spiking-neural network to realize concept of the perceiving-acting cycle. The proposed method is applied to the robot arm equipped with a 3D-range camera. This proposed method features the robot detects the invariant information of a dish, for example the contrast of a distance Information or a luminance information. As experiments, we discuss about the effectiveness of the proposed method by comparing different input.

Behavioral dimension of multiobjective behavior coordination for a mobile robot

This paper proposes a control method of the behavioral dimension in multiobjective behavior coordination of a mobile robot. The behavioral dimension of multiobjective behavior coordination is proposed. Simulation results of collision avoidance behaviors of multiple robots using multiobjective behavior coordination are shown.

Mechanism of one-legged jumping robot with artificial musculoskeletal system

This paper describes the mechanism and vertical jumping pattern of a one-legged jumping robot that can mimic the muscular and skeletal system of a human leg. The jumping robot has a waist, a thigh, a shin, a foot, and a toe. Its weight is 12.34 kg, and its height is 1010 mm. It has a total of 13 actuators: 10 mono-articular types and 3 bi-articular types. Two kinds of pneumatic artificial muscles such as mono-articular and bi-articular muscles are installed in the rear and the front of the thigh and shin to antagonize each other. For a vertical jump, a joint angle pattern is developed based on the linear and angular momentum. The effectiveness of the mechanism and the jumping pattern of the robot are verified through simulations and experiments.

Perceptual system and action system of a mobile robot with structured intelligence

Proposes a controlling method of a mobile robot with structured intelligence. Modular neural networks are applied for action control based on a perceiving-acting cycle of ecological psychology. In the proposed method, the perceptual system and action system restrict each other. Next, we conduct several experiments using a mobile robot we developed. The experimental results show the robot can learn actions based on the perceiving-acting cycle. Finally, we discuss the unit of the action using modular neural networks for robotic systems.

The intelligent control based on perceiving-acting cycle by using 3D-range camera

This paper discusses a integrated perceptual system for intelligent control of a service robot. The robot should be able to perceive the environment flexibly to realize intelligent behaviors. We focus on the perceptual system based on the perceiving-acting cycle discussed in ecological psychology. We propose a perceptual system composed of the retinal model and the spiking-neural network to realize concept of the perceiving-acting cycle. The proposed method is applied to the robot arm equipped with a 3D-range camera. This proposed method features the robot detects the invariant information of a dish, for example the contrast of a distance Information or a luminance information. As experimental results, We show that the integrated perceptual system can adapt effectively in the dynamic environment.

Passive collision force suppression mechanism for robot manipulator

This paper presents a robot manipulator with collision force suppression mechanism that can passively suppress collision force. The collision suppression mechanism consists of a release air pad, a transmission rack, a clutch gear and a compression spring. An air cushion bag is attached to the exterior of the robot manipulator. If a robot manipulator collides with an object or human when a task is performed, the collision force suppression mechanism disjoints the specific joint corresponding to the direction of the collision force to reduce the collision force. The robot manipulator will then return to the former task when the colliding object is eliminated. Through collision experiments, the effectiveness of the collision force suppression mechanism is verified.

A Decision Making for a Robot Based on Simple Interaction with Human

Recently, an intelligent robot is expected to operate our living area. To realize, a robot should make a decision for action from a simple order by human. For decision making of a robot, it is important that a perception of environmental situation and adaptation to the preference of a person. We have proposed the learning method based on SOM to adapt environmental situation and the preference of human. Through experiments by simulation, we verified that the proposed method can consider the changing of attribution by time variation. And, the decision making of a robot can be adapted to the preference of a person through interaction with a person.