Internet and cloud-based robot services and their platforms are becoming attractive. Many related works have been also done, such as DAvinCi, ROS on Android, and RoboEarth. However, when robot services are provided via computer networks, very reliable services are required to deal with short/long-term disconnection between services and robots due to wireless LAN disconnection, robot service problems, system error on robots, and so on. In this paper, we adopt Robot Service Network Protocol (RSNP) as a robot service platform in order to integrate robot services with Internet services. In addition, we propose a method and architecture to realize reliable cloud-based robot services for RSNP in a communication view point.

In this paper, we describe a power assist method for a nonholonomic mobile robot designed to carry out office-oriented services. We developed a new mechanism for obtaining an approximate measurement of the zero moment point (ZMP) using three single-axis force sensors so that a robot pushed from any direction by a human can detect the direction and magnitude of the external force. We also propose impedance control to generate translational and rotational motion in accordance with ZMP displacement. This control method achieves a function whereby a robot that has been given an external force from a direction differing from its translation direction will follow the direction of the external force while rotating. The robot can also return automatically to its initial pose once the external force has been released. We show though experiments that our power assist method is effective in improving the operability and usability of an office-oriented robot.

This paper deals with reflexes against sudden obstacles for humanoid robots, which are combined with a proposed piecewise-linear pattern generator. The reflex action consists of modulating the motorspsila commands by the outputs of the force sensors located under the robot legs, and through a given primitive neural network previously proposed. Eventually, the primitive reflex is modified by the afferent signals to be more adaptable and robust against sudden obstacles. The final reflex structure enables the response of the sensory signals to be coordinated and modulated with locomotion controllerpsilas outputs to achieve an intended stabilizing behavior of the robot. The effectiveness of the proposed reflex is demonstrated by experiment using Fujitsupsilas humanoid robot HOAP-3. It is shown that the primitive reflex movement previously proposed becomes robust against sudden obstacle that hits the robot sole plate at different locations. The proposed reflex system, therefore, contributes towards the safer interaction of the humanoid robot with the environment.

Reflexes have been viewed as integrated motions with the centrally generated motors commands to produce adaptive movement. In this paper, a walking pattern generator for humanoid robots based on piecewise linear functions and inspired by passive walking is considered. To deal with lateral and frontal disturbances, sensory feedback is realized based on the inverse pendulum model. The reflex system that highly adapts and controls the movement of the humanoid robot, when a large disturbance occurs, is combined with the motion pattern generator and proposed in a unified form with regards to three types of sudden events. Experiments using Fujitsu's humanoid robot HOAP-3 demonstrate that a reflex movement is successfully integrated with the rhythmic motion when there are sudden changes in floor level, when obstacles suddenly appear, and in the presence of a large disturbance. The proposed reflex system therefore contributes toward the safe interaction of humanoid robots with the environment.

This paper discusses a practical system which, when incorporated in an autonomous mobile robot moving indoors, can determine the position of the robot and detect obstacles so that the robot can navigate appropriately. We have developed new real-time, reliable techniques using correlation operations to achieve vision-based localization and obstacle detection. These techniques include a landmark detection technique that assures stable detection even under variable brightness and an obstacle measurement technique that combines obstacle region segmentation with stereo vision. Our experiments have proven that these techniques can make the necessary measurements in 100 ms, assure stable measurement in environments of varying brightness, and are sufficient for mobile robots.

A hardware system for emulating microgravity for an on-the-ground space manipulator is described. The manipulator is suspended by wires, kept vertical by the suspension arms controlled to follow the manipulator's motion. The manipulator base is supported by a six-degree-of-freedom mechanism, with which free floating is emulated based on the numerical integration of the dynamic and kinematic equations for the manipulator. The gravitational force acting on the manipulator is thus canceled by the combination of the contact force on the base and the upward tensile forces through the wires. Optimizing the manipulator's suspension keeps the values of individual tensions acting on it constant, whatever the manipulator's attitude. Experiments show that the suspension system is sensitive enough to emulate the vertical free-floating motion of a suspended object, and can be tuned to initiate a microgravity environment of at least 0.01 g under restricted conditions.>

A hand-eye system with 3-D vision system and a microgripper has been developed for handling, forming and inserting flexible wires in electronic assembles. The hand-eye system performs its task based on visual sensor and force sensor data. The vision system uses a camera, a laser-multiplanar light projector, and a videorate image processor to measure the 3-D geometry of flexible wires within one robot cycle. The measurement accuracy is better than 1 mm perpendicular to the plane for a depth of 500 mm. The microgripper has three-axis sensors capable of detecting three kinds of forces; grasping, pulling, and pushing. The dynamic range of the grasping force is 0.5 to 60 gf. This system has been used for wire assembling in magnetic-disk slider manufacture. Using recovery function, the success ratios for measurement, grasping and upper insertion were 100%. The design concepts, the 3-D measurement, the hand-eye system, and the wire-assembling application are discussed.>