Dataset Information

An Integrated Strategy for Autonomous Exploration of Spatial Processes in Unknown Environments.

ABSTRACT: Exploration of spatial processes, such as radioactivity or temperature is a fundamental task in many robotic applications. In the literature, robotic exploration is mainly carried out for applications where the environment is a priori known. However, for most real life applications this assumption often does not hold, specifically for disaster scenarios. In this paper, we propose a novel integrated strategy that allows a robot to explore a spatial process of interest in an unknown environment. To this end, we build upon two major blocks. First, we propose the use of GP to model the spatial process of interest, and process entropy to drive the exploration. Second, we employ registration algorithms for robot mapping and localization, and frontier-based exploration to explore the environment. However, map and process exploration can be conflicting goals. Our integrated strategy fuses the two aforementioned blocks through a trade-off between process and map exploration. We carry out extensive evaluations of our algorithm in simulated environments with respect to different baselines and environment setups using simulated GP data as a process at hand. Additionally, we perform experimental verification with a mobile holonomic robot exploring a simulated process in an unknown labyrinth environment. Demonstrated results show that our integrated strategy outperforms both frontier-based and GP entropy-driven exploration strategies.

SUBMITTER: Karolj V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7374370 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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An Integrated Strategy for Autonomous Exploration of Spatial Processes in Unknown Environments.

Karolj Valentina V Viseras Alberto A Merino Luis L Shutin Dmitriy D

Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) 20200630 13

Exploration of spatial processes, such as radioactivity or temperature is a fundamental task in many robotic applications. In the literature, robotic exploration is mainly carried out for applications where the environment is a priori known. However, for most real life applications this assumption often does not hold, specifically for disaster scenarios. In this paper, we propose a novel integrated strategy that allows a robot to explore a spatial process of interest in an unknown environment. T ...[more]

PMID: 32629898

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Project description:Over the last 20 years, a significant part of the research in exploratory robotics partially switches from looking for the most efficient way of exploring an unknown environment to finding what could motivate a robot to autonomously explore it. Moreover, a growing literature focuses not only on the topological description of a space (dimensions, obstacles, usable paths, etc.) but rather on more semantic components, such as multimodal objects present in it. In the search of designing robots that behave autonomously by embedding life-long learning abilities, the inclusion of mechanisms of attention is of importance. Indeed, be it endogenous or exogenous, attention constitutes a form of intrinsic motivation for it can trigger motor command toward specific stimuli, thus leading to an exploration of the space. The Head Turning Modulation model presented in this paper is composed of two modules providing a robot with two different forms of intrinsic motivations leading to triggering head movements toward audiovisual sources appearing in unknown environments. First, the Dynamic Weighting module implements a motivation by the concept of Congruence, a concept defined as an adaptive form of semantic saliency specific for each explored environment. Then, the Multimodal Fusion and Inference module implements a motivation by the reduction of Uncertainty through a self-supervised online learning algorithm that can autonomously determine local consistencies. One of the novelty of the proposed model is to solely rely on semantic inputs (namely audio and visual labels the sources belong to), in opposition to the traditional analysis of the low-level characteristics of the perceived data. Another contribution is found in the way the exploration is exploited to actively learn the relationship between the visual and auditory modalities. Importantly, the robot-endowed with binocular vision, binaural audition and a rotating head-does not have access to prior information about the different environments it will explore. Consequently, it will have to learn in real-time what audiovisual objects are of "importance" in order to rotate its head toward them. Results presented in this paper have been obtained in simulated environments as well as with a real robot in realistic experimental conditions.

Project description:BackgroundThe combination of robotic tools with assistance technology determines a slightly explored area of applications and advantages for disability or elder people in their daily tasks. Autonomous motorized wheelchair navigation inside an environment, behaviour based control of orthopaedic arms or user's preference learning from a friendly interface are some examples of this new field. In this paper, a Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm is implemented to allow the environmental learning by a mobile robot while its navigation is governed by electromyographic signals. The entire system is part autonomous and part user-decision dependent (semi-autonomous). The environmental learning executed by the SLAM algorithm and the low level behaviour-based reactions of the mobile robot are robotic autonomous tasks, whereas the mobile robot navigation inside an environment is commanded by a Muscle-Computer Interface (MCI).MethodsIn this paper, a sequential Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) feature-based SLAM algorithm is implemented. The features correspond to lines and corners -concave and convex- of the environment. From the SLAM architecture, a global metric map of the environment is derived. The electromyographic signals that command the robot's movements can be adapted to the patient's disabilities. For mobile robot navigation purposes, five commands were obtained from the MCI: turn to the left, turn to the right, stop, start and exit. A kinematic controller to control the mobile robot was implemented. A low level behavior strategy was also implemented to avoid robot's collisions with the environment and moving agents.ResultsThe entire system was tested in a population of seven volunteers: three elder, two below-elbow amputees and two young normally limbed patients. The experiments were performed within a closed low dynamic environment. Subjects took an average time of 35 minutes to navigate the environment and to learn how to use the MCI. The SLAM results have shown a consistent reconstruction of the environment. The obtained map was stored inside the Muscle-Computer Interface.ConclusionsThe integration of a highly demanding processing algorithm (SLAM) with a MCI and the communication between both in real time have shown to be consistent and successful. The metric map generated by the mobile robot would allow possible future autonomous navigation without direct control of the user, whose function could be relegated to choose robot destinations. Also, the mobile robot shares the same kinematic model of a motorized wheelchair. This advantage can be exploited for wheelchair autonomous navigation.

Dataset Information

An Integrated Strategy for Autonomous Exploration of Spatial Processes in Unknown Environments.

Publications

An Integrated Strategy for Autonomous Exploration of Spatial Processes in Unknown Environments.

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