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Steps Toward Developing an Intelligent Robotics Course Kutztown University

Steps Toward Developing an Intelligent Robotics Course Kutztown University. PACISE 2011 April 9, 2011 Oskars J. Rieksts Jeffrey W. Minton. Acknowledgments – Funding. CS Department & LAS College TYCO Electronics Foundation Kutztown University Foundation

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Steps Toward Developing an Intelligent Robotics Course Kutztown University

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  1. Steps Toward Developing an Intelligent Robotics CourseKutztown University PACISE 2011 April 9, 2011 Oskars J. Rieksts Jeffrey W. Minton

  2. Acknowledgments – Funding • CS Department & LAS College • TYCO Electronics Foundation • Kutztown University Foundation • KU Faculty Professional Development Committee • KU Undergraduate Research Committee • PASSHE Faculty Professional Development Council 2011 Kutztown University 2

  3. Motivations • Rodney Brooks • DARPA Grand Challenge • REU @ Auburn • Hardware-software synthesis • “Hardened” hardware • Central role of software 2011 Kutztown University 3

  4. Motivations • Applied A.I. • Applied cognition • Mobility • Assistive robotics • Robotic wheelchairs 2011 Kutztown University 4

  5. Outline • Early efforts • Hacking Roomba & other ventures • Research Experience for Undergraduates • Create and Mindstorms • Captain KURK • Trinity firefighting contest • Myro and Python • Reading-Berks Science Fair 2011 Kutztown University 5

  6. Coming into Focus • Emerging goals • Intelligence • Vision • Communcation • Philosophical issues 2011 Kutztown University 6

  7. Point of convergence • Course in intelligent robotics • Control • Vision • Communcation • Investigate cognitive issues 2011 Kutztown University 7

  8. Course design objectives • Robot is • Situated • Embodied • Shared environment • Human • Machine • Shared communication • Framework for investigation 2011 Kutztown University 8

  9. Robot is situated • Operates within an environment • Embedded in the world • Chief knowledge source: • Data stream drawn from environment • “The world is its own best representation” – Brooks 2011 Kutztown University 9

  10. Robot is embodied • Entity 1st, agent 2nd • Self reliant • Secretary of State model • Self-seated conceptual framework • World concepts grounded in sensor suite • Behavior set emanates from actuator suite • Decision apparatus grounded in sensor/actuator suites 2011 Kutztown University 10

  11. Robot is embodied • Eames: Design is a plan for arranging elements to accomplish a particular purpose • Elephants don’t play chess (Brooks) • “Mind” is to fit the body • Design on need to basis • Know • Think • Do 2011 Kutztown University 11

  12. Shared environment • Shared conceptual framework • Robot’s • Derivative of human’s • Simplified in structure • Shared factbase • Robot’s • Subset of human’s • Simplified ontology • Vision based 2011 Kutztown University 12

  13. Common communication framework • Grounded in • Shared • Environment • Conceptual framework • Ontology • Vision as main sensor • Intersecting language constructs 2011 Kutztown University 13

  14. Projected course topics/activities • Specialized robot control software • Robot control architecture • Basics of image processing • Specialized image processing software • Basics of communication theory • Key issues of cognitive robotics 2011 Kutztown University 14

  15. Slow, steady progress • Browning: • Reach should exceed grasp • Rapid prototyping • Iterative development 2011 Kutztown University 15

  16. Structure of the class • Four teams • Roles • Team leader • Designer • Coder • Document guru • Historian • Test designer • Test administrator • Hardware specialist 2011 Kutztown University 16

  17. PACT demonstration • Pennsylvania Association of Council of Trustees • Very early in learning curve • Navigation within a “corral” • Well received • Gateway navigation • Bull fighting robot • PR for robotics @ PASSHE 2011 Kutztown University 17

  18. Jeff – gateway navigation 2011 Kutztown University 18

  19. Investigate cognitive issues • Sight and touch • George Stratton • Spatial harmony of sight & touch • Space • Benjamin Kuipers • Semantic spatial hierarchy • Metrical • Topological • Hybrid 2011 Kutztown University 19

  20. Investigate cognitive issues • Language and meaning • Stevan Harnad • Symbol grounding problem • Language and shared space • Amichai Kronfeld • Shared referent problem 2011 Kutztown University 20

  21. Investigate cognitive issues • Embodied cognition • Randall Beer • Situated, embodied, dynamical • Principle of interactivism • Mark Bickhard • Emergence of representational content 2011 21 Kutztown University

  22. Illustration – Shared Referent Problem • From Kronfeld • Steve & wife Bev are at a party • Steve: Bob & his wife are certainly enjoying the party • Bev: Sally is not his wife! • Note • Steve & Bev share a referent, Sally • Despite misidentification no communication problems arise! Kutztown University 2011 22

  23. The KLO Triad • For communication involving referents • For each communicant – this triad • Object (the referent) • KB – representation of object • Language – reference to object • For successful communication • Referents must match • For HMC (Human-machine communication) • Human & machine KBs do not match 2011 Kutztown University 23

  24. Establishing co-refrence • Per Frege’s distinction • Extensional approach • Pointing or equivalent • Intensional approach • Language alone • HMC goal • Minimize extensional • Maximize intensional 2011 Kutztown University 24

  25. The Trinity Robot 2011 Kutztown University 25

  26. The Trinity Robot • VEX robotics kit for chasis • VEX included motors for locomotion • Sonar rangefinders • Web-cam • Arduino to control motors and sensors • Netbook to control Arduino and process images 2011 Kutztown University 26

  27. The Trinity Robot • Inaccurate motor control • Sonar signals bounce inside corners • Provide inaccurate measurements • Viewing angle of web-cam too small 2011 Kutztown University 27

  28. Brobi 2011 Kutztown University 28

  29. Brobi – hardware • Create by iRobot • Platform built onto Create cargo bay to accommodate equipment • Web-cam with increased viewing angle • IR rangefinder • IR light does not bounce like sound • Arduino 2011 Kutztown University 29

  30. Brobi – software • OpenCV and Python • Consultation – John Spletzer • Lehigh • Little Ben in Urban Challenge • MATLAB • Image processing • Create API • A programming language 2011 Kutztown University 30

  31. Image processing • “A picture is worth a thousand words” • need to extract discrete objects from images to identify them • K-Means clustering 2011 Kutztown University 31

  32. Goal: identify green ball 2011 Kutztown University 32

  33. K-Means Clustering • Cluster sets of data • Into user-defined number of segments • Number of segments referred to as K • Clusters defined by MEAN of all values in cluster 2011 Kutztown University 33

  34. K-Means Algorithm

  35. K-Means Example K-Means using k = 5 K-Means using k = 6

  36. Natural Language Processing • “Go to the green ball” • The meanings behind words must be inferred • “Go,” conceptually can represent many things • Take a turn in a game • The Chinese strategy game • Travel to a location • Determine the concept being referred to • Conceptual parsing 2011 Kutztown University 36

  37. Conceptual Parsing • Words are mapped to concepts • Concepts • Rules define set of related concepts • One concept may have many separate rule sets 2011 Kutztown University 37

  38. Concept Tree

  39. Assessment – Platform • Best hardware platform to date • Opens up many avenues of course development • Software for robot control systems • Robot control architectures • Image processing • Communication • Cognitive robotics issues 2011 Kutztown University 39

  40. Assessment – MATLAB • Can do all 3 things • Sensor/actuator interface with Lehigh API • Image acquisition & processing • Robot control system programming • Good IDE • Good documentation • 17 pdf files; 64 mB • Online documentation 2011 Kutztown University 40

  41. Assessment – MATLAB • Good IDE • Strong user community • Blogs • Discussion boards • Good code segments • Good programming language • Matrix optimized • Advance features, e.g., lambda, apply 2011 Kutztown University 41

  42. Assessment – Create • Useful • Stable • Ubiquitous • Negatives • Battery short lasting • Does not travel in straight line 2011 Kutztown University 42

  43. Assessment – Accessibility • Cost not prohibitive • Create – $130 • $220 with battery and charger • Netbook ~ $330 • Arduino ~ $30 • MATLAB • $900 for 10 seat license • $130 for student version with image acquisition 2011 Kutztown University 43

  44. Future directions • Software repository • Learning • Bayesian • Genetic algorithms • Neural networks, etc. • Control architecures • Behavior-based • Hybrid • Blackboard? 2011 Kutztown University 44

  45. Future directions • Experiment with other sensors • Touch {whiskers} • Odor • Sound {whistle, a la Sound of Music} • Heat • Odor • Light/brightness • Wireless interface • “Watson, come here. I need you” 2011 Kutztown University 45

  46. Future of robotics at KU • Strong student interest • Rejuvenated course • New syllabus • Approved • 400 level – a mixed blessing • Not yet scheduled • In rotation? • Politics 2011 Kutztown University 46

  47. Further Information • Jeff’s graduate thesis • Do You See What I'm Saying: Relating Language and Vision to Create Interaction Between Humans and Robots • Delves further into concepts discussed here • https://github.com/jeffminton/Thesis 2011 Kutztown University 47

  48. Questions? 2011 Kutztown University 48

  49. The End 2011 Kutztown University 49

  50. Extra slides 2011 Kutztown University 50

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