Networking Humans Robots And Environments

This book dives into the heart of how to design distributed control architectures for heterogeneous teams of humans, robots, and automated systems, enabling them to achieve greater cooperation and autonomy through the use of network technologies. It provides a wide range of practical, proven strategies for pervasive communication and collaborative problem solving abilities of humans, robots, and their environments. Each chapter consists of a presentation of findings from the latest research in networked robots and ambient intelligence. The chapters also detail how to allow robots to achieve universal access to the extended functionality of the environment that brings various cost effective services to those in need. Readers can envision a realistic view of what can be expected from a networked human robot cooperative environment in the next decade.

Human–Robot Interaction in Social Robotics explores important issues in designing a robot system that works with people in everyday environments. Edited by leading figures in the field of social robotics, it draws on contributions by researchers working on the Robovie project at the ATR Intelligent Robotics and Communication Laboratories, a world leader in humanoid interactive robotics. The book brings together, in one volume, technical and empirical research that was previously scattered throughout the literature. Taking a networked robot approach, the book examines how robots work in cooperation with ubiquitous sensors and people over telecommunication networks. It considers the use of social robots in daily life, grounding the work in field studies conducted at a school, train station, shopping mall, and science museum. Critical in the development of network robots, these usability studies allow researchers to discover real issues that need to be solved and to understand what kinds of services are possible. The book tackles key areas where development is needed, namely, in sensor networks for tracking humans and robots, humanoids that can work in everyday environments, and functions for interacting with people. It introduces a sensor network developed by the authors and discusses innovations in the Robovie humanoid, including several interactive behaviors and design policies. Exploring how humans interact with robots in daily life settings, this book offers valuable insight into how robots may be used in the future. The combination of engineering, empirical, and field studies provides readers with rich information to guide in developing practical interactive robots.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Interactive Technologies and Sociotechnical Systems, VSMM 2006, held in Xi'an, China in October 2006. The 59 revised full papers presented together with one keynote paper were carefully reviewed and selected from more than 180 submissions.

This book is the eighth in a series presenting research papers arising from MSc/MRes research projects undertaken by students of the School of Computing and Mathematics at Plymouth University. The publications in this volume are based upon research projects that were undertaken during the 2009/10 academic year. A total of 30 papers are presented, covering many aspects of modern networking and communication technology, including security, mobility, coding schemes and quality measurement. The expanded topic coverage compared to earlier volumes in this series reflects the broadening of our range of MSc programmes. Specifically contributing programmes are: Communications Engineering and Signal Processing, Computer and Information Security, Computer Science, Network Systems Engineering, Robotics, and Web Applications Development.

This book covers the most attractive problem in robot control, dealing with the direct interaction between a robot and a dynamic environment, including the human-robot physical interaction. It provides comprehensive theoretical and experimental coverage of interaction control problems, starting from the mathematical modeling of robots interacting with complex dynamic environments, and proceeding to various concepts for interaction control design and implementation algorithms at different control layers. Focusing on the learning principle, it also shows the application of new and advanced learning algorithms for robotic contact tasks.

This book provides an overview of recent research developments in the automation and control of robotic systems that collaborate with humans. A measure of human collaboration being necessary for the optimal operation of any robotic system, the contributors exploit a broad selection of such systems to demonstrate the importance of the subject, particularly where the environment is prone to uncertainty or complexity. They show how such human strengths as high-level decision-making, flexibility, and dexterity can be combined with robotic precision, and ability to perform task repetitively or in a dangerous environment. The book focuses on quantitative methods and control design for guaranteed robot performance and balanced human experience from both physical human-robot interaction and social human-robot interaction. Its contributions develop and expand upon material presented at various international conferences. They are organized into three parts covering: one-human–one-robot collaboration; one-human–multiple-robot collaboration; and human–swarm collaboration. Individual topic areas include resource optimization (human and robotic), safety in collaboration, human trust in robot and decision-making when collaborating with robots, abstraction of swarm systems to make them suitable for human control, modeling and control of internal force interactions for collaborative manipulation, and the sharing of control between human and automated systems, etc. Control and decision-making algorithms feature prominently in the text, importantly within the context of human factors and the constraints they impose. Applications such as assistive technology, driverless vehicles, cooperative mobile robots, manufacturing robots and swarm robots are considered. Illustrative figures and tables are provided throughout the book. Researchers and students working in controls, and the interaction of humans and robots will learn new methods for human–robot collaboration from this book and will find the cutting edge of the subject described in depth.

In the rapidly advancing world of AI, neural networks emerge as the driving force behind some of the most groundbreaking innovations. Neural Networks is your essential companion in unraveling the complexities and unlocking the potential of these powerful technologies. Begin with a historical journey, understanding how neural networks evolved from simple models to sophisticated systems driving modern AI. Gain clear insights into fundamental concepts, architectures, and the mechanics that make neural networks tick. Delve into deep learning, comparing it with traditional machine learning, and explore its pivotal role in current AI advancements. Whether you are a beginner in AI, a seasoned professional, or simply an AI enthusiast, this book offers a structured and detailed pathway to understanding neural networks. Each chapter is crafted to provide both theoretical knowledge and practical insights, ensuring a well-rounded grasp of the subject matter. Understand the practical aspects of implementing neural networks, from data collection to model optimization. Delve into critical discussions on ethics, bias, and the societal impacts of AI technologies. Neural Networks is more than just a book. It is a gateway to the future, a tool that prepares you to be a part of, and possibly shape, the next generation of AI innovations. Open its pages and embark on a journey that transcends the boundaries of technology, into a world where neural networks redefine what is possible.