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1 – 10 of 402K.M. Ibrahim Khalilullah, Shunsuke Ota, Toshiyuki Yasuda and Mitsuru Jindai
Wheelchair robot navigation in different weather conditions using single camera is still a challenging task. The purpose of this study is to develop an autonomous wheelchair robot…
Abstract
Purpose
Wheelchair robot navigation in different weather conditions using single camera is still a challenging task. The purpose of this study is to develop an autonomous wheelchair robot navigation method in different weather conditions, with single camera vision to assist physically disabled people.
Design/methodology/approach
A road detection method, called dimensionality reduction deep belief neural network (DRDBNN), is proposed for drivable road detection. Due to the dimensionality reduction ability of the DRDBNN, it detects the drivable road area in a short time for controlling the robot in real-time. A feed-forward neural network is used to control the robot for the boundary following navigation using evolved neural controller (ENC). The robot detects road junction area and navigates throughout the road, except in road junction, using calibrated camera and ENC. In road junction, it takes turning decision using Google Maps data, thus reaching the final destination.
Findings
The developed method is tested on a wheelchair robot in real environments. Navigation in real environments indicates that the wheelchair robot moves safely from source to destination by following road boundary. The navigation performance in different weather conditions of the developed method has been demonstrated by the experiments.
Originality/value
The wheelchair robot can navigate in different weather conditions. The detection process is faster than that of the previous DBNN method. The proposed ENC uses only distance information from the detected road area and controls the robot for boundary following navigation. In addition, it uses Google Maps data for taking turning decision and navigation in road junctions.
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Zulkifli Mohamed, Mitsuki Kitani and Genci Capi
– The purpose of this paper is to compare the performance of the robot arm motion generated by neural controllers in simulated and real robot experiments.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to compare the performance of the robot arm motion generated by neural controllers in simulated and real robot experiments.
Design/methodology/approach
The arm motion generation is formulated as an optimization problem. The neural controllers generate the robot arm motion in dynamic environments optimizing three different objective functions; minimum execution time, minimum distance and minimum acceleration. In addition, the robot motion generation in the presence of obstacles is also considered.
Findings
The robot is able to adapt its arm motion generation based on the specific task, reaching the goal position in simulated and experimental tests. The same neural controller can be employed to generate the robot motion for a wide range of initial and goal positions.
Research limitations/implications
The motion generated yield good results in both simulation and experimental environments.
Practical implications
The robot motion is generated based on three different objective functions that are simultaneously optimized. Therefore, the humanoid robot can perform a wide range of tasks in real-life environments, by selecting the appropriate motion.
Originality/value
A new method for adaptive arm motion generation of a mobile humanoid robot operating in dynamic human and industrial environments.
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Mohamed Khalil Mezghiche and Noureddine Djedi
The purpose of this study is to explore using real-observation quantum genetic algorithms (RQGAs) to evolve neural controllers that are capable of controlling a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore using real-observation quantum genetic algorithms (RQGAs) to evolve neural controllers that are capable of controlling a self-reconfigurable modular robot in an adaptive locomotion task.
Design/methodology/approach
Quantum-inspired genetic algorithms (QGAs) have shown their superiority against conventional genetic algorithms in numerous challenging applications in recent years. The authors have experimented with several QGAs variants and real-observation QGA achieved the best results in solving numerical optimization problems. The modular robot used in this study is a hybrid simulated robot; each module has two degrees of freedom and four connecting faces. The modular robot also possesses self-reconfiguration and self-mobile capabilities.
Findings
The authors have conducted several experiments using different robot configurations ranging from a single module configuration to test the self-mobile property to several disconnected modules configuration to examine self-reconfiguration, as well as snake, quadruped and rolling track configurations. The results demonstrate that the robot was able to perform self-reconfiguration and produce stable gaits in all test scenarios.
Originality/value
The artificial neural controllers evolved using the real-observation QGA were able to control the self-reconfigurable modular robot in the adaptive locomotion task efficiently.
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Patricia A. Vargas, Renan C. Moioli, Fernando J. von Zuben and Phil Husbands
The purpose of this paper is to present an artificial homeostatic system whose parameters are defined by means of an evolutionary process. The objective is to design a more…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an artificial homeostatic system whose parameters are defined by means of an evolutionary process. The objective is to design a more biologically plausible system inspired by homeostatic regulations observed in nature, which is capable of exploring key issues in the context of robot behaviour adaptation and coordination.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed system consists of an artificial endocrine system that coordinates two spatially unconstrained GasNet artificial neural network models, called non‐spatial GasNets. Both systems are dedicated to the definition of control actions in autonomous navigation tasks via the use of an artificial hormone and a hormone receptor. A series of experiments are performed in a real and simulated scenario in order to investigate the performance of the system and its robustness to novel environmental conditions and internal sensory disruptions.
Findings
The designed system shows to be robust enough to self‐adapt to a wider variety of disruptions and novel environments by making full use of its in‐built homeostatic mechanisms. The system is also successfully tested on a real robot, indicating the viability of the proposed method for coping with the reality gap, a well‐known issue for the evolutionary robotics community.
Originality/value
The proposed framework is inspired by the homeostatic regulations and gaseous neuro‐modulation that are intrinsic to the human body. The incorporation of an artificial hormone receptor stands for the novelty of this paper. This hormone receptor proves to be vital to control the network's response to the signalling promoted by the presence of the artificial hormone. It is envisaged that the proposed framework is a step forward in the design of a generic model for coordinating many and more complex behaviours in simulated and real robots, employing multiple hormones and potentially coping with further severe disruptions.
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K.M. Ibrahim Khalilullah, Shunsuke Ota, Toshiyuki Yasuda and Mitsuru Jindai
The purpose of this study is to develop a cost-effective autonomous wheelchair robot navigation method that assists the aging population.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop a cost-effective autonomous wheelchair robot navigation method that assists the aging population.
Design/methodology/approach
Navigation in outdoor environments is still a challenging task for an autonomous mobile robot because of the highly unstructured and different characteristics of outdoor environments. This study examines a complete vision guided real-time approach for robot navigation in urban roads based on drivable road area detection by using deep learning. During navigation, the camera takes a snapshot of the road, and the captured image is then converted into an illuminant invariant image. Subsequently, a deep belief neural network considers this image as an input. It extracts additional discriminative abstract features by using general purpose learning procedure for detection. During obstacle avoidance, the robot measures the distance from the obstacle position by using estimated parameters of the calibrated camera, and it performs navigation by avoiding obstacles.
Findings
The developed method is implemented on a wheelchair robot, and it is verified by navigating the wheelchair robot on different types of urban curve roads. Navigation in real environments indicates that the wheelchair robot can move safely from one place to another. The navigation performance of the developed method and a comparison with laser range finder (LRF)-based methods were demonstrated through experiments.
Originality/value
This study develops a cost-effective navigation method by using a single camera. Additionally, it utilizes the advantages of deep learning techniques for robust classification of the drivable road area. It performs better in terms of navigation when compared to LRF-based methods in LRF-denied environments.
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Sanjay K. Boddhu and John C. Gallagher
The purpose of this paper is to present an approach to employ evolvable hardware concepts, to effectively construct flapping‐wing mechanism controllers for micro robots, with the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an approach to employ evolvable hardware concepts, to effectively construct flapping‐wing mechanism controllers for micro robots, with the evolved dynamically complex controllers embedded in a, physically realizable, micro‐scale reconfigurable substrate.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, a continuous time recurrent neural network (CTRNN)‐evolvable hardware (a neuromorphic variant of evolvable hardware) framework and methodologies are employed in the process of designing the evolution experiments. CTRNN is selected as the neuromorphic reconfigurable substrate with most efficient Minipop Evolutionary Algorithm, configured to drive the evolution process. The uniqueness of the reconfigurable CTRNN substrate preferred for this study is perceived from its universal dynamics approximation capabilities and prospective to realize the same in small area and low power chips, the properties which are very much a basic requirement for flapping‐wing based micro robot control. A simulated micro mechanical flapping insect model is employed to conduct the feasibility study of evolving neuromorphic controllers using the above‐mentioned methodology.
Findings
It has been demonstrated that the presented neuromorphic evolvable hardware approach can be effectively used to evolve controllers, to produce various flight dynamics like cruising, steering, and altitude gain in a simulated micro mechanical insect. Moreover, an appropriate feasibility is presented, to realize the evolved controllers in small area and lower power chips, with available fabrication techniques and as well as utilizing the complex dynamics nature of CTRNNs to encompass various controls ability in a architecturally static hardware circuit, which are more pertinent to meet the constraints of micro robot construction and control.
Originality/value
The proposed neuromorphic evolvable hardware approach along with its modules intact (CTRNNs and Minipop) can provide a general mechanism to construct/evolve dynamically complex and optimal controllers for flapping‐wing mechanism based micro robots for various environments with least human intervention. Further, the evolved neuromorphic controllers in simulation study can be successfully transferred to its hardware counterpart without sacrificing its anticipated functionality and realized within a predictable area and power ranges.
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John A. Bullinaria and Xiaoli Li
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the application of computational intelligence techniques to the field of industrial robot control.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the application of computational intelligence techniques to the field of industrial robot control.
Design/methodology/approach
The core ideas behind using neural computation, evolutionary computation, and fuzzy logic techniques are presented, along with a selection of specific real‐world applications.
Findings
Their practical advantages and disadvantages relative to more traditional approaches are made clear.
Originality/value
The reader will appreciate the power of computational intelligence techniques for industrial robot control, and hopefully be encouraged to explore further the possibility of using them to achieve improved performance in their own applications.
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Tim Chen, N. Kapronand, C.Y. Hsieh and J. Cy Chen
To guarantee the asymptotic stability of discrete-time nonlinear systems, this paper aims to propose an evolved bat algorithm fuzzy neural network (NN) controller algorithm.
Abstract
Purpose
To guarantee the asymptotic stability of discrete-time nonlinear systems, this paper aims to propose an evolved bat algorithm fuzzy neural network (NN) controller algorithm.
Design/methodology/approach
In evolved fuzzy NN modeling, the NN model and linear differential inclusion representation are established for the arbitrary nonlinear dynamics. The control problems of the Fisher equation and a temperature cooling fin for high-speed aerospace vehicles will be described and demonstrated. The signal auxiliary controlled system is represented for the nonlinear parabolic partial differential equation (PDE) systems and the criterion of stability is derived via the Lyapunov function in terms of linear matrix inequalities.
Findings
This representation is constructed by sector nonlinearity, which converts the nonlinear model to a multiple rule base for the linear model and a new sufficient condition to guarantee the asymptotic stability.
Originality/value
This study also injects high frequency as an auxiliary and the control performance to stabilize the nonlinear high-speed aerospace vehicle system.
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Syuan-Yi Chen, Cheng-Yen Lee, Chien-Hsun Wu and Yi-Hsuan Hung
The purpose of this paper is to develop a proportional-integral-derivative-based fuzzy neural network (PIDFNN) with elitist bacterial foraging optimization (EBFO)-based optimal…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a proportional-integral-derivative-based fuzzy neural network (PIDFNN) with elitist bacterial foraging optimization (EBFO)-based optimal membership functions (PIDFNN-EBFO) position controller to control the voice coil motor (VCM) for tracking reference trajectory accurately.
Design/methodology/approach
Because the control characteristics of the VCM are highly nonlinear and time varying, a PIDFNN, which integrates adaptive PID control with fuzzy rules, is proposed to control the mover position of the VCM. Moreover, an EBFO algorithm is further proposed to find the initial optimal fuzzy membership functions for the PIDFNN controller.
Findings
Due to the gradient descent method used in back propagation (BP) to derive the on-line learning algorithm for the PIDFNN, it may reach the local optimal solution due to the inappropriate initial values. Hence, a hybrid learning method, which includes BP and EBFO algorithms, is proposed to improve the learning performance of the PIDFNN controller.
Research limitations/implications
Future work will consider reducing the computational burden of bacterial foraging optimization algorithm for on-line parameters optimization.
Practical implications
The real-time control system is implemented on a 32-bit floating-point digital signal processor (DSP). The experimental results demonstrate the favorable effectiveness of the proposed PIDFNN-EBFO controlled VCM system.
Originality/value
A new PIDFNN-EBFO control scheme is proposed and implemented via DSP for real-time VCM position control. The experimental results show the superior control performance of the proposed PIDFNN-EBFO compared with the other control systems.
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Ho Pham Huy Anh and Nguyen Tien Dat
The proposed Sliding Mode Control-Global Regressive Neural Network (SMC-GRNN) algorithm is an integration of Global Regressive Neural Network (GRNN) and Sliding Mode Control…
Abstract
Purpose
The proposed Sliding Mode Control-Global Regressive Neural Network (SMC-GRNN) algorithm is an integration of Global Regressive Neural Network (GRNN) and Sliding Mode Control (SMC). Through this integration, a novel structure of GRNN is designed to enable online and. This structure is then combined with SMC to develop a stable adaptive controller for a class of nonlinear multivariable uncertain dynamic systems.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, a new hybrid (SMC-GRNN) control method is innovatively developed.
Findings
A novel structure of GRNN is designed that can be learned online and then be integrated with the SMC to develop a stable adaptive controller for a class of nonlinear uncertain systems. Furthermore, Lyapunov stability theory is utilized to ensure the hidden-output weighting values of SMC-GRNN adaptively updated in order to guarantee the stability of the closed-loop dynamic system. Eventually, two different numerical benchmark tests are employed to demonstrate the performance of the proposed controller.
Originality/value
A novel structure of GRNN is originally designed that can be learned online and then be integrated with the sliding mode SMC control to develop a stable adaptive controller for a class of nonlinear uncertain systems. Moreover, Lyapunov stability theory is innovatively utilized to ensure the hidden-output weighting values of SMC-GRNN adaptively updated in order to guarantee the stability of the closed-loop dynamic system.
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