We have developed a novel technique for fluorescent monitoring of a bovine oocyte nucleus for an automatic cloning device. Animal cells that have been chemically softened by cytochalasin and stained with Hoechst dye are aspirated into a thin microchannel of a microfluidic chip and stretched thin, allowing the nucleus of the expanded oocyte to be monitored. Half the volume of the oocyte is aspirated into the thin microchannel and a high-velocity fluid flow is generated in the wide microchannel to bisect the oocyte. Then, the half-oocytes are monitored to determine which contains the nucleus. To control flow velocity with high accuracy and rapid response, we also developed a syringe pump that is small, has no backlash, and has highly-accurate volume control and a good response for automatic cutting. In this report, we describe the monitoring method and construction of the syringe pump.

We have developed a novel technique for injecting and cutting animal cells for an automatic cloning system. Animal cells that have been chemically softened are aspirated into a narrow teflon tube, which is then inserted into a microfluidic chip. The tube's tip is inserted into a microchannel and releases the aspirated cells in the microchannel. The microfluidic chip contains two orthogonal channels. One is a narrow microchannel that aspirates and fixes a cell; in the other channel, a fluid flows at high velocity for cutting the aspirated cell. The thickness of the aspiration channel can be adjusted to fix the aspirated cell. Half the volume of the cell is aspirated into the narrow microchannel and high-speed flow is then generated to cut the cell into two. In this report, the cutting method and the injection method are described. Then an imaging process is also investigated for an automatic cutting.

Learning affordance is very important for autonomous robots to know what the necessary actions should be performed to complete a given task with its abilities. However, itpsilas difficult to identify and apply affordances in practice for robots. In order for a robot to get benefits from this concept, this paper proposes ontology approach based affordance concept for ubiquitous robots. The goal of this affordance-based ontology effort is to develop and begin to populate a neutral knowledge representation capturing relevant information about robots capabilities and what the environment afford to assist human life in ubiquitous robots environment. We propose a new method to dasiateachpsila robot learn objects and context affordances using ontology approach for semantic robots in ubiquitous robots space.

This paper investigates a collision-free navigation algorithm for a mobile robot to work in daily environment which includes multiple walking people. The proposed algorithm consists of two main parts: recognizing walking people and collision-free path planning. For the recognition of randomly changing human walking motion, a people tracking method using laser range finder (LRF) is utilized. Robust people tracking could be achieved by embedding a new biped model with a walking frequency tracker, which can estimate the frequency of human walking motion and generate it continuously even in the case of no measurement owing to occlusion. For the other part, collision-free path planning, an iterative forecast and planning method with the concept of configuration space including space and time is employed. The position and velocity of walking people, given from people tracking algorithm, are exploited in path planning part as the information of obstacles that the robot have to avoid. The proposed method has been implemented on a real robot. It is also demonstrated with some experiments the tracking of multiple walking humans and robot navigation in indoor environment.

Affordance concept is very powerful in coupling perception and action. However, this concept originally came from ecological approach and it is suitable for living creatures such as animals, therefore it’s difficult to identify and apply in practice for robots. In order for a robot to get benefits from this concept, this paper proposes ontology approach based affordance theory for ubiquitous robots. The goal of this affordance-based ontology effort is to develop and begin to populate a knowledge representation capturing relevant information about robots capabilities and what the environment afford to assist human life in ubiquitous robots environment.

To make structured environment aims at establishing the information structured environment which enables robots to get information and knowledge necessary to carry out the given tasks from the environment. In this paper, we build the information structured environment named the u-RT space, and then design and control the librarian robot system based on the proposed environment, which can put books on the proper slot in the bookshelf using the ambient intelligence and the book information. First, we introduce the information structured space where the physical space and the virtual space are connected each other, and propose the robot localization method and the bookshelf information system based on the ambient intelligence realized by the RFID technology. Next, we introduce the librarian robot system which consists of the manipulator which can recognize and manipulate books, and the mobile platform which can localize itself and navigate using the ambient RFID tags implanted under the floor even if there are high bookshelves. Then we propose the classification and integration method of the information from various ambient sensors which enables the proposed robot to complete given missions successfully. Finally, the performance of the proposed librarian robot system is evaluated by the experiment based on an example scenario in the u-RT space.

In this paper, connecting physical world and events schedule in the smart environment and ubiquitous robots are proposed to implement symbiotic robotic systems. Symbiotic robotic systems consist of humans, robots, and smart environment that cooperate symbiotically to perform a given task. An embedded element to develop smart environment called UFAM (Ubiquitous Functions Activation Module) is introduced. Physical hyperlink is also implemented for object recognition and localization based on the RFID system. We use Gdata as a syndication format, to manage events on user calendar and communicate with ubiquitous robots. Finally, an example of symbiotic robotic application for weather forecast is described.

In this paper, a novel approach of knowledge management for the space/location perceiving capacity of robots is proposed. First, the ubiquitous function services composed of smart object, smart logic, and smart discovery service are proposed in order to distribute knowledge flexibly and reliably to changing environment and also for a robot to invoke and merge the distributed knowledge more freely. Next, physical and virtual spaces are merged by RFID tags. Through this, it is shown that ambient intelligence is realized and the space localization and mapping problem of robots can be more easily solved. Finally, the experiment based on an example scenario is carried out to verify the proposed method in the informative space named u-RT space which has two kinds of RFID tags, a virtual space with ubiquitous function services realized by Web services, and a networked robot system which works in these spaces

In this paper, we employ Web services, programmable application logic accessible using standard Internet protocol, to enable a robot to access the distributed application logic based on the recent network technologies like XML, SOAP, WSDL, UDDI. Applications can communicate with each other in a platform and programming language independent manner. We first discuss a ubiquitous control platform based on ubiquitous functions to allow a robot the infinitive freedom of movement and knowledge acquirement. We then explain the fundamental ubiquitous functions management framework for a robot. In this framework, the applications are constructed from multiple Web services that work together to provide data and services for the application. Finally, the proposed scheme is applied to the control of the knowledge distributed robot system.

In this work, we propose a new framework for better deployment and utilization of robots in our uncertain, unstructured everyday environments. Programming robots can be a very time-consuming process and seems almost impossible for ordinary end users. To cope with many challenges in the user programming, this work is to provide an open environment for building robot programming automatically, where we have robots learn how to accomplish commanded tasks interacting with the object. An integrated sensing and computing tag is embedded into every single object in the environment. In the robot controller, only the basic software libraries for low-level robot motion control are provided by the robot manufacturer. The main contributions of this work is to develop the knowledge integrator platform that we call Omniscient Organizer that generates the application programs and send them to the robot controller through networks. In the Omniscient Organizer, the object-related information downloaded from the object Web server merges into robot control software based on the task commands from the human. We have built a test bed and demonstrated that a robot can perform common household tasks such as clearing the table within the proposed framework.

We propose a collaborative knowledge network that we call omniscient spaces in the attempt to generate sophisticated robotic behavior with minimal programming effort. New products are manufactured and brought into our daily life everyday. Robots should need a way to easily integrate new products into their existing recognizable environments. Radio frequency identification gains increasing attention to support context and ambient awareness in dynamically changing environments. To solve robot programming difficulties in our environments, the collaborative knowledge network connects heterogeneous knowledge resources to collectively build up the robot's knowledge required to accomplish a task. Specifically, a decentralized knowledge acquisition and task specific integration model is proposed, where the proposed knowledge integrator merges specific knowledge with existing knowledge into a task requiring knowledge. For this, manufacturers put their product data tailored to plan robot motions online and robots may access the data without authorization. In this work, the best possible scenario under current technological limitations is proposed for real world robot applications. A detailed analysis of the knowledge flow model is described. To verify the validity of the proposed model, a test bed is built and table clearing task is performed according to the distributed knowledge management framework.

The goal of this paper is to realize a hands free operating system for analytical work on protein crystal using a micro hand and an integrated vision system. At first, the operation for the protein crystal analysis is summarized to make it clear what kind of tasks should be necessary for automatic operation. Secondly, the proposed system is briefly reviewed, which is constructed with a two-fingered micro hand system and an all-in-focus microscopic system. Thirdly, a new localization criterion for transparent objects with the all-in-focus system is proposed for the protein crystal operation. Finally, experimental results show the validity of the proposed system and algorithm.

This paper describes the technique to grasp the micro transparent objects, such as crystal and cell, using the integrated vision system. At first, several 3D modeling techniques for transparent object are surveyed, which were mainly applied to use the polarization technique. Secondly, polarization characteristics on micro transparent object are evaluated. Thirdly, integrated vision system for micro objects is briefly reviewed. Then, to solve the problem of the transparent object with this integrated vision system, several new methods based on the volume rendering and edge methods information using the integrated vision system is proposed. Finally, the modeling and handling technique are proposed.

A dexterous micro manipulation system was developed for applications such as assembling micro machines, manipulating cells, and micro surgery. We (1996, 1999) have proposed a concept of a two fingered micro hand, and designed and built a prototype. We succeeded in performing basic micro manipulations, including the grasp, release, and rotation of a microscopic object. The two-fingered micro hand prototype needs to be more miniaturized for higher accuracy and use in the small chamber of SEM. In this paper, we propose a new 3-DOF parallel mechanism for the micromanipulator in order to achieve low cost and small size. The new mechanism is only used for punching holes and bending a thin plate. The two-fingered micro hand with the mechanism was designed and a prototype developed. An experiment shows the excellent micro capability of the mechanism.

The Intelligent Systems Laboratory (ISL) has been developing coordinated control technologies for multitelerobot collaboration, in a common environment remotely controlled from multiple operators physically at a distance from each other. We have built a test bed and conducted a series of experiments, where we learned more about how the transmission delay over the network deteriorates the performance of telerobots. Previously, to overcome the problems arising from the throughput of the network such as the operator's delayed visual perception, we have suggested several coordination approaches in the local operator site. Likewise, this paper discusses the use of virtual repulsive force field in the online predictive simulator to assist the operator to cope with the collision between telerobots in remote environments. In the test bed, the operators control their master robot to get remote telerobots to work cooperatively with the other telerobots in a task. Specifically, the operator detects a priori the possibility of collision in the predictive simulator that runs in near real-time and the use of virtual force field prevents the telerobots from coming into collision. We have demonstrated various tasks by two telerobots and two operators via an Ethernet local area network (LAN) subject to simulated communication delays and evaluated the validity of the virtual force field guided approach in multi-operator-multi-robot (MOMR) tele-collaboration.

An observational system for tele-micro-operation has been proposed with a dynamic focusing system and a high-speed image processing system using the "depth from focus" criteria. In our past work (2000), we proposed the system which has the "all-in-focus image" and the "depth" of an object, simultaneously. Actually, in micro operation, such as for micro-surgery, DNA operation and etc., the small depth of a focus on the microscope gives bad observability. In this sense, the "all-in-focus image", which holds the in-focused texture all over the image, is useful for observing micro environments with a microscope. It is also important to obtain the depth map, and to show the 3D micro virtual environments in real-time to actuate the micro objects, intuitively. The past system with dynamic focusing lens and smart sensor could obtain the "all-in-focus image" and the "depth" in 2 sec. To realize real-time micro operation, at least, a 30 frame/sec system should be required. The paper briefly reviews the criteria of "depth from focus" to achieve the all-in-focus image and the 3D micro environments' reconstruction, simultaneously. After discussing the problem in our past system, a new frame-rate system is constructed with high-speed video camera and FPGA hardware. To apply this system in a real microscope, new criteria to reconstruct the all-in-focus image is proposed. Finally, micro observation shows the validity of the system.

A method to improve the resolution in depth by applying the depth from focus (DFF) criteria is proposed. The depth from focus is a criteria used to get simultaneously both the all-in-focus image and three-dimensional information with a single camera. But in these criteria there is a well-known drawback; the resolution is good only at short distances. Here, the optical characteristic that describes the limitation of the measurement range is analyzed. Then, a better criterion to improve the resolution in the depth is proposed by considering the "best focal distance". In order to use this new method, it is necessary to modify the focal distance (zoom) in the camera. Then, an accurate control of the camera should be done to acquire a good view of the desired target and later by, applying the depth from focus criteria together with the best focal distance, being able to obtain good depth (three-dimensional) information.

In this paper, the observation technique on the micro environments with a real-time virtual reality camera system, which is constructed with a dynamic focusing lens and a smart vision sensor using the "depth from focus" criteria, is discussed. However, one drawback opt the all-in-focus image is that there is no information about the depth of objects. Then, it is also important to reconstruct a micro 3D environment in real-time to actuate objects in the micro virtual environments. Important factors to realize real-time system with the "depth from focus" criteria, which can obtain the all in-focus image and micro 3D reconstruction, simultaneously, are discussed. Finally, the real-time system is constructed by a dynamic focusing lens, which can change the focus in high frequency, and a smart vision system which is capable in capturing and processing the image data in high speed with SIMD architecture.

Various coordinated control schemes are explored in the multi-operator-multi-robot (MOMR) tele-collaborative system through a network with time delay. Multi-robot cooperation has rapidly emerged in many possible applications such as the plant maintenance, construction, and surgery, because it would have a significant advantage over a single robot in such cases. Thus, time-delayed control of a multi-robot system is expected to play an important role in remote operations, too. However, the effect of time-delay would pose a more difficult problem to the MOMR teleoperation systems and seriously affect their performance. In this work, first, we have built an experimental system to investigate the remote cooperation in MOMR teleoperation. Then, different coordinated control methods are proposed to cope with the collision, arising from the time delay over the network. To verify the validity of the proposed schemes, we have carried out various experiments on a planar block arrangement by two slave arms employing graphic simulators and a LAN subject to a significant communication delay.

The Mechanical Engineering Laboratory (MEL) is developing technologies for multi-robot collaboration in remote environments with the Toshiba Mechanical Systems Laboratory (TMSL). Human operators' delayed visual perception due to the communication delay over the network seriously affects the collaboration performance in the multi-operator-multi-robot tele-manipulation. We have built an experimental tele-manipulation test bed connecting the MEL and the TMSL to study the time-delayed remote tele-collaboration between two places. In the test bed, one operator controls her master robot nearby two slave robots in the work site and another from a distance. A local online graphics simulator without time delay is developed to cope with the communication delay and several multi-robot coordinated control strategies are devised to avoid the collision. To verify the validity of this simulator assisted approach, we demonstrated a maintenance work on a plant mock-up in the TMSL by two different slave robots and two distant operators in the MEL and TMSL respectively through an ISDN.

In this paper, a real-time observation technique for the tele-micro-operation has been proposed with a dynamic focusing lens and a smart vision sensor using the "depth from focus" criteria. On the operation of micro objects, such as the microsurgery, DNA operation and etc., the small depth of a focus on the microscope makes bad observability. For example, if the focus is on the object, the actuator could not be seen with the microscope. On the other hand, if the focus is on the actuator, the object could not be observed. The "all-in-focus image" is useful to observe the micro environments with the microscope. However, one drawback on the all-in-focus image is that there is no information about the depth of objects. It is also important to reconstruct the micro 3D environments, in real-time to actuate the micro objects in the micro virtual environments. This paper discusses, firstly, the criteria of "depth from focus" to achieve the all-in-focus image and the micro 3D environments' reconstruction, simultaneously. Then, a real-time VR micro camera system has been proposed to achieve the micro VR environments with the "depth from focus" criteria, i.e. the combination of the all-in-focus image and the micro 3D construction. This system is constructed with a dynamic focusing lens, which could change the focal distance of lens in high frequency, and a smart vision system, which is capable in capturing and processing the image data in high speed with SIMD architecture.

In this paper, remote robot collaboration using a network with communication time delay is discussed in multi-operator-multi-robot (MOMR) teleoperation. Recently, collaboration tasks have rapidly emerged in many possible applications such as plant maintenance, construction, and surgery, because multi-robot collaboration would have a significant advantage over a single robot in such cases. Problems and several noticeable results have been reported in a single-operator-single-robot (SOSR) teleoperation system. However, the effect of time-delay would pose a more difficult problem to the MOMR teleoperation systems and seriously affect their performance. In this work, first, some of the constraints on performance in MOMR teleoperation applications are examined. Then, the time-delay effects on tele-collaboration are investigated through several experimental studies. Finally, a method to cope with the time-delay in MOMR teleoperation systems is proposed exploiting the virtual thickness modification scheme.

Facial expression communication is considered, mainly focusing on achieving smooth telecommunications. Gesture and facial expressions are considered to be significant factors in telecommunications, such as tele-services. To realize a real time communication system for facial expression, we proposed the facial expression space (FES) and a correspondence technique between each personal facial expression space. Then, a real time facial expression communication system is developed, which transports the facial expressions but not the images themselves. This final system is able to synthesize the facial expressions with two persons, further more in cartoon characters. The experimental results show the validity of these criteria.

In this paper, the gesture and facial expression is mainly focused to achieve the smooth communication on telerobot systems. The facial expressions has been considered as a most significant factor in telecommunications, such as teleservices. To realize the real-time facial expression transportation system, we proposed the facial expression space (FES) and a correspondence technique between each personal facial expression spaces. Then, real time facial expression transportation system is developed, which transport the facial expression but not the image itself. This final system is able to display the same facial expressions in other persons, and in cartoon characters. The experimental results show the validity of these criteria.

This paper describes a method for recognizing partially occluded objects to realize a bin-picking task under different levels of illumination brightness by using the eigenspace analysis. In the proposed method, a measured color in the RGB color space is transformed into the HSV color space. Then, the hue of the measured color, which is invariant to change in illumination brightness and direction, is used for recognizing multiple objects under different levels of illumination conditions. The proposed method was applied to real images of multiple objects under different illumination conditions, and the objects were recognized and localized successfully.

This paper describes a method for recognizing partially occluded objects for bin-picking tasks using eigenspace analysis, referred to as the "eigen window" method, that stores multiple partial appearances of an object in an eigenspace. Such partial appearances require a large amount of memory space. Three measurements, detectability, uniqueness, and reliability, on windows are developed to eliminate redundant windows and thereby reduce memory requirements. Using a pose clustering technique, the method determines the pose of an object and the object type itself. We have implemented the method and verified its validity.

This paper describes a method for recognizing partially occluded specularity objects for bin-picking tasks using the eigen-space analysis. Although effective in recognizing an isolated object, as was shown by Murase and Nayar, the current method can not be applied to partially occluded objects that are typical in bin-picking tasks. The analysis also requires that the object is centered in an image before recognition. These limitations of the eigen-space analysis are due to the fact that the whole appearance of an object is utilized as a template for the analysis. We propose a new method, referred to as the "eigen-window" method, that stores multiple partial appearances of an object in the eigen-space. Such partial appearances require a large number of memory space. To reduce the memory requirement by avoiding redundant windows and to select only effective windows to be stored, a similarity measure among windows is developed. Using a pose clustering method among windows, the method determines the pose of an object. We have implemented the method and verify the validity of the method.

This paper describes a method for recognizing partially occluded objects for bin-picking tasks using the eigen-space analysis. Although effective in recognizing an isolated object, as was shown by Murase and Nayar (1995), the current method can not be applied to piratically occluded objects that are typical in bin-picking tasks. The analysis also requires that the object is centered in an image before recognition. These limitations of the eigen-space analysis are due to the fact that the whole appearance of an object is utilized as a template for the analysis. We propose a new method, referred to as the "eigen-window" method, that stores multiple partial appearances of an object in the eigen-space. Such partial appearances require a large number of memory space. To reduce the memory requirement by avoiding redundant windows and to select only effective windows to be stored, a similarity measure among windows is developed. Using a pose clustering method among windows, the method determines the pose of an object and the object type of itself. We have implemented the method and verify the validity of the method.

In the future, robots may perform cooperative tasks with humans in daily life. In this paper, the authors focus on a hand-over motion as an example of cooperative work between a human and a robot, and propose an algorithm which enables a robot to perform a human-like motion. First the authors analyze trajectories and velocity patterns of a hand-over motion performed by two humans. The experimental results show that a receiver's motion during hand-over has some typical characteristics. The authors then confirm that a human-like motion can be generated using these characteristics. Finally, the authors plan the robot's motion considering these results. Initially, two kinds of potential fields are used to generate a motion command which leads the robot along a trajectory similar to that followed by the human. In addition, more precise motion is considered at the end of the hand-over operation to guarantee accurate positioning and to soften the shock of contact. Simulation results show the validity of the proposed method.