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AUVs are autonomous underwater robots equipped with advanced sensors and navigation systems. Due to the complexity and uncertainty of the marine environment, AUVs are susceptible to the effects of the marine environment and may experience communication delays or even accidents. Based on the aforementioned issues, this paper proposes a prediction method for lost AUVs based on an adaptive optimization depth BiLSTM (AWOA-DBiLSTM) neural network model. To enhance prediction accuracy, AWOA-DBiLSTM employs a double BiLSTM to extract AUV features from positional information and physical attitude. Additionally, AWOA-DBiLSTM utilizes a gating mechanism to filter and reset physical attitude feature information to obtain features associated with positional information. After undergoing filtering operations, the physical attitude information of the AUV is fused with the position information to achieve trajectory prediction. For the first time, the differentiation and stratified extraction of AUV data features are presented in this paper. The experimental results demonstrate that the model achieves significant improvements in prediction accuracy and generalization, and the present study is of great significance for application in the task of predicting the trajectories of lost AUVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the use of advanced sensors, such as terrestrial, mobile 3D scanners and photogrammetric imaging, has become the prevalent practice for 3D Reality Modeling (RM) and the digitization of large-scale monuments of Cultural Heritage (CH). In practice, this process is heavily related to the expertise of the surveying team handling the laborious planning and time-consuming execution of the 3D scanning process tailored to each site's specific requirements and constraints. To minimize human intervention, this paper proposes a novel methodology for autonomous 3D Reality Modeling of CH monuments by employing autonomous robotic agents equipped with the appropriate sensors. These autonomous robotic agents are able to carry out the 3D RM process in a systematic, repeatable, and accurate approach. The outcomes of this automated process may also find applications in digital twin platforms, facilitating secure monitoring and the management of cultural heritage sites and spaces, in both indoor and outdoor environments. The main purpose of this paper is the initial release of an Industry 4.0-based methodology for reality modeling and the survey of cultural spaces in the scientific community, which will be evaluated in real-life scenarios in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we will compare two solution options to determine whether the deployment of an autonomous mobile robot will be a beneficial investment for a company not only in terms of cost, time, and manpower savings, but also in terms of efficiency and reliability in the implementation of selected logistics processes to ensure the smooth running of production. In this paper, we would like to analyse the technology in terms of functions, carrying capacity, and interconnection within the infrastructure in the enterprise. The logistics processes from material order to export to the final customer will be analysed when an automatically controlled robot is deployed. One of the solutions discusses the use of personnel and material handling equipment (tractor with transport kit). The second solution discusses the deployment of the robot and selected logistics processes. The paper concludes with a summary of both options in terms of time, cost, and efficiency of the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: An autonomous mobile robot (AMR) is a self-navigating vehicle capable of executing specific tasks such as transportation and cruising. As a crucial component of the logistics system in Industry 4.0 and smart factories, AMRs leverage sensors, including cameras, to gather information about their external environment and chart navigational paths. Their applications are diverse, spanning across warehousing, manufacturing, healthcare, hazardous locations, and specialized industries. Road recognition, a key feature of AMRs, employs technologies like semantic segmentation to extract high-level scene information, including object locations and semantic data from images. This technology can be integrated with Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), enhancing the AMR's ability to navigate complex environments. This integration is pivotal in enabling AMRs to successfully complete their navigation tasks. The rapid development and application of AMRs is important for Industry 4.0 and smart logistics. For large-scale dynamic flat warehouses, vision-based road recognition amidst complex obstacles is paramount for improving navigation efficiency and flexibility, while avoiding frequent manual settings. However, current mainstream road recognition methods face significant challenges of unsatisfactory accuracy and efficiency, as well as the lack of a large-scale high-quality dataset. To address this, this paper introduces IndoorPathNet, a transfer-learning-based Bird's Eye View (BEV) indoor path segmentation network that furnishes directional guidance to AMRs through real-time segmented indoor pathway maps. IndoorPathNet employs a lightweight U-shaped architecture integrated with spatial self-attention mechanisms to augment the speed and accuracy of indoor pathway segmentation. Moreover, it surmounts the challenge of training posed by the scarcity of publicly available semantic datasets for warehouses through the strategic employment of transfer learning. Comparative experiments conducted between IndoorPathNet and four other lightweight models on the Urban Aerial Vehicle Image Dataset (UAVID) yielded a maximum Intersection Over Union (IOU) of 82.2%. On the Warehouse Indoor Path Dataset, the maximum IOU attained was 98.4% while achieving a processing speed of 9.81 frames per second (FPS) with a 1024 × 1024 input on a single 3060 GPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The artificial potential field method has efficient obstacle avoidance ability, but this traditional method suffers from local minima, unreasonable paths, and sudden changes in heading angles during obstacle avoidance, leading to rough paths and increased energy consumption. To enable autonomous mobile robots (AMR) to escape from local minimum traps and move along reasonable, smooth paths while reducing travel time and energy consumption, in this paper, an artificial potential field method based on subareas is proposed. First, the optimal virtual subgoal was obtained around the obstacles based on the relationship between the AMR, obstacles, and goal points in the local environment. This was done according to the virtual subgoal benefit function to solve the local minima problem and select a reasonable path. Secondly, when AMR encountered an obstacle, the subarea-potential field model was utilized to solve problems such as path zigzagging and increased energy consumption due to excessive changes in the turning angle; this helped to smooth its planning path. Through simulations and actual testing, the algorithm in this paper demonstrated smoother heading angle changes, reduced energy consumption, and a 10.95% average reduction in movement time when facing a complex environment. This proves the feasibility of the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present HoloSLAM which is a novel solution to landmark detection issues in the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) problem in autonomous robot navigation. The approach integrates real and virtual worlds to create a novel mapping robotic environment employing a mixed-reality technique and a sensor, namely Microsoft HoloLens. The proposed methodology allows the robot to interact and communicate with its new environment in real-time and overcome the limitations of conventional landmark-based SLAMs by creating and placing some virtual landmarks in situations where real landmarks are scarce, non-existent, or hard to be detected. The proposed approach enhances the robot's perception and navigation capabilities in various robot environments. The overall process contributes to the robot's more accurate understanding of its environment; thus, enabling it to navigate with greater efficiency and effectiveness. In addition, the newly implemented HoloSLAM offers the option to guide the robot to a specific location eliminating the need for explicit navigation instructions. The open-source framework proposed in this paper can benefit the robotics community by providing a more reliable, realistic, and robust mapping solution. The experiments show that the Ellipsoidal-HoloSLAM system is accurate and effectively overcomes the limitations of conventional Ellipsoidal-SLAMs, providing a more precise and detailed mapping of the robot's environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2015, there has been an increase in articles on anomaly detection in robotic systems, reflecting its growing importance in improving the robustness and reliability of the increasingly utilized autonomous robots. This review paper investigates the literature on the detection of anomalies in Autonomous Robotic Missions (ARMs). It reveals different perspectives on anomaly and juxtaposition to fault detection. To reach a consensus, we infer a unified understanding of anomalies that encapsulate their various characteristics observed in ARMs and propose a classification of anomalies in terms of spatial, temporal, and spatiotemporal elements based on their fundamental features. Further, the paper discusses the implications of the proposed unified understanding and classification in ARMs and provides future directions. We envisage a study surrounding the specific use of the term anomaly, and methods for their detection could contribute to and accelerate the research and development of a universal anomaly detection system for ARMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a novel approach referred to as the audio-based virtual landmark-based HoloSLAM. This innovative method leverages a single sound source and microphone arrays to estimate the voice-printed speaker's direction. The system allows an autonomous robot equipped with a single microphone array to navigate within indoor environments, interact with specific sound sources, and simultaneously determine its own location while mapping the environment. The proposed method does not require multiple audio sources in the environment nor sensor fusion to extract pertinent information and make accurate sound source estimations. Furthermore, the approach incorporates Robotic Mixed Reality using Microsoft HoloLens to superimpose landmarks, effectively mitigating the audio landmark-related issues of conventional audio-based landmark SLAM, particularly in situations where audio landmarks cannot be discerned, are limited in number, or are completely missing. The paper also evaluates an active speaker detection method, demonstrating its ability to achieve high accuracy in scenarios where audio data are the sole input. Real-time experiments validate the effectiveness of this method, emphasizing its precision and comprehensive mapping capabilities. The results of these experiments showcase the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed system, surpassing the constraints associated with traditional audio-based SLAM techniques, ultimately leading to a more detailed and precise mapping of the robot's surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work addresses the challenge of calibrating multiple solid-state LIDAR systems. The study focuses on three different solid-state LIDAR sensors that implement different hardware designs, leading to distinct scanning patterns for each system. Consequently, detecting corresponding points between the point clouds generated by these LIDAR systems—as required for calibration—is a complex task. To overcome this challenge, this paper proposes a method that involves several steps. First, the measurement data are preprocessed to enhance its quality. Next, features are extracted from the acquired point clouds using the Fast Point Feature Histogram method, which categorizes important characteristics of the data. Finally, the extrinsic parameters are computed using the Fast Global Registration technique. The best set of parameters for the pipeline and the calibration success are evaluated using the normalized root mean square error. In a static real-world indoor scenario, a minimum root mean square error of 7 c m was achieved. Importantly, the paper demonstrates that the presented approach is suitable for online use, indicating its potential for real-time applications. By effectively calibrating the solid-state LIDAR systems and establishing point correspondences, this research contributes to the advancement of multi-LIDAR fusion and facilitates accurate perception and mapping in various fields such as autonomous driving, robotics, and environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flexibility and versatility associated with autonomous mobile robots (AMR) have facilitated their integration into different types of industries and tasks. However, as the main objective of their implementation on the factory floor is to optimize processes and, consequently, the time associated with them, it is necessary to take into account the environment and congestion to which they are subjected. Localization, on the shop floor and in real time, is an important requirement to optimize the AMRs' trajectory management, thus avoiding livelocks and deadlocks during their movements in partnership with manual forklift operators and logistic trains. Threeof the most commonly used localization techniques in indoor environments (time of flight, angle of arrival, and time difference of arrival), as well as two of the most commonly used indoor localization methods in the industry (ultra-wideband, and ultrasound), are presented and compared in this paper. Furthermore, it identifies and compares three industrial indoor localization solutions: Qorvo, Eliko Kio, and Marvelmind, implemented in an industrial mobile platform, which is the main contribution of this paper. These solutions can be applied to both AMRs and other mobile platforms, such as forklifts and logistic trains. In terms of results, the Marvelmind system, which uses an ultrasound method, was the best solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of mathematics in the field of robot control. It highlights the advancements in mathematical methods for solving theoretical and applied problems in various areas of robotics, such as solar tracking systems, robotic manipulators, computer vision, and navigation. The article presents a collection of research papers that demonstrate how mathematics can be used to solve complex problems and improve the practical use of robotic systems. The papers cover a wide range of topics, including adaptive control, logical paradigms, encryption, kinematic modeling, cooperative control, and autonomous navigation. Overall, the article emphasizes the central role of mathematics in advancing the field of robot control. [Extracted from the article]

Localization is an important method for autonomous indoor robots to recognize their positions. Generally, the navigation of a mobile robot is conducted using a camera, Lidar, and global positioning system. However, for an indoor environment, GPS is unavailable. Therefore, a, state-trajectory tracking method is utilized based on a Lidar map. This paper presents the path following of an autonomous indoor mobile robot, that is, a shuttle robot, using a state-flow method via a robot operating system network. MATLAB and Linux high-level computers and an inertial measurement unit sensor are used to obtain the Cartesian coordinate information of a bicycle-type mobile robot. The path following problem can be solved in the state-flow block by setting appropriate time and linear and angular velocity variables. After the predetermined time, the linear and angular velocities are set based on the length of the path and radius of the quarter-circle of the left and right turns in the state-flow block, path planning, which can execute the work effectively, is established using the state-flow algorithm. The state-flow block produces time-series data that are sent to Linux system, which facilitates real-time mobile platform path following scenario. Several cases within the path-following problem of the mobile robot were considered, depending on the linear and angular velocity settings: the mobile robot moved forward and backward, turned in the right and left directions on the circular path. The effectiveness of the method was demonstrated using the desktop-based indoor mobile robot control results. Thus, the paper focuses on the application of the state-flow algorithm to the shuttle robot specifically in the narrow indoor environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a fundamental issue in robotics academia and industry, indoor autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) have been extensively studied. For AMRs, it is crucial to obtain information about their working environment and themselves, which can be realized through sensors and the extraction of corresponding information from the measurements of these sensors. The application of sensing technologies can enable mobile robots to perform localization, mapping, target or obstacle recognition, and motion tasks, etc. This paper reviews sensing technologies for autonomous mobile robots in indoor scenes. The benefits and potential problems of using a single sensor in application are analyzed and compared, and the basic principles and popular algorithms used in processing these sensor data are introduced. In addition, some mainstream technologies of multi-sensor fusion are introduced. Finally, this paper discusses the future development trends in the sensing technology for autonomous mobile robots in indoor scenes, as well as the challenges in the practical application environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This research contributes to the development of a technological method to obtain highly accurate vehicle trajectory data. The reconstructed trajectory data play a key role in traffic state prediction, traffic management and the decision making of autonomous vehicles and robots. Vehicle trajectory usually suffers from a large number of outliers and observation noises. This paper proposes a novel framework for reconstructing vehicle trajectories. The framework integrates the wavelet transform, Lagrange interpolation and Kalman filtering. The wavelet transform based on waveform decomposition in the time and frequency domain is used to identify the abnormal frequency of a trajectory. Lagrange interpolation is used to estimate the value of data points after outliers are removed. This framework improves computation efficiency in data segmentation. The Kalman filter uses normal and predicted data to obtain reasonable results, and the algorithm makes an optimal estimation that has a better denoising effect. The proposed framework is compared with a baseline framework on the trajectory data in the NGSIM dataset. The experimental results showed that the proposed framework can achieve a 45.76% lower root mean square error, 26.43% higher signal-to-noise ratio and 25.58% higher Pearson correlation coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents and discusses the development and deployment of a tour guide robot as part of the 5 g-TOURS EU research project, aimed at developing applications enabled by 5G technology in different use cases. The objective is the development of an autonomous robotic application where intelligence is off-loaded to a remote machine via 5G network, so as to lift most of the computational load from the robot itself. The application uses components that have been widely studied in robotics, (i.e., localization, mapping, planning, interaction). However, the characteristics of the network and interactions with visitors in the wild introduce specific problems which must be taken into account. The paper discusses in detail such problems, summarizing the main results achieved both from the methodologicaland the experimental standpoint, and is completed by the description of the general functional architecture of the whole system, including navigation and operational services. The software implementation is also publicly available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous mobile robots have become integral to daily life, providing crucial services across diverse domains. This paper focuses on path following, a fundamental technology and critical element in achieving autonomous mobility. Existing methods predominantly address tracking through steering control, neglecting velocity control or relying on path-specific reference velocities, thereby constraining their generality. In this paper, we propose a novel approach that integrates the conventional pure pursuit algorithm with deep reinforcement learning for a nonholonomic mobile robot. Our methodology employs pure pursuit for steering control and utilizes the soft actor-critic algorithm to train a velocity control strategy within randomly generated path environments. Through simulation and experimental validation, our approach exhibits notable advancements in path convergence and adaptive velocity adjustments to accommodate paths with varying curvatures. Furthermore, this method holds the potential for broader applicability to vehicles adhering to nonholonomic constraints beyond the specific model examined in this paper. In summary, our study contributes to the progression of autonomous mobility by harmonizing conventional algorithms with cutting-edge deep reinforcement learning techniques, enhancing the robustness of path following. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delivering robots impact many facets of our life, including food delivery and restaurant services, with advancements enabling obstacle overcome, faster delivery, and minimizing human intervention. However, delivering robots remained to experience poor vertical mobilityelevator usage in multi-floor buildings. Incorporating new elevator models into the robot's elevator usage capabilities involves a long process of manufacturer approval and authentication. Furthermore, strict fire-code regulations pose communication barriers between the robot and the elevator. In this paper, we introduce MirrorVision-a novel approach designed for accurate floor detection during vertical mobility, regardless of obstructions blocking the robot's direct line of sight to the elevator number panel. First, we collected and pre-processed a dataset of direct and reflective views of elevator number panels via the preinstalled mirrors. Then, we trained mirrored images in various possibilities to accomplish accurate floor detection. MirrorVision provides a solid mechanism to understand floor numbers at the level of distorted images. Extensive evaluations show that MirrorVision achieves 98.8% accuracy for floor detection in a crowded elevator, while state-of-the-art EfficientDet and YOLOv5 achieved 90.8% and 93.3%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex and high-computational-cost algorithms are usually the state-of-the-art solution for autonomous driving cases in which non-holonomic robots must be controlled in scenarios with spatial restrictions and interaction with dynamic obstacles while fulfilling at all times safety, comfort, and legal requirements. These highly complex software solutions must cover the high variability of use cases that might appear in traffic conditions, especially when involving scenarios with dynamic obstacles. Reinforcement learning algorithms are seen as a powerful tool in autonomous driving scenarios since the complexity of the algorithm is automatically learned by trial and error with the help of simple reward functions. This paper proposes a methodology to properly define simple reward functions and come up automatically with a complex and successful autonomous driving policy. The proposed methodology has no motion planning module so that the computational power can be limited like in the reactive robotic paradigm. Reactions are learned based on the maximization of the cumulative reward obtained during the learning process. Since the motion is based on the cumulative reward, the proposed algorithm is not bound to any embedded model of the robot and is not being affected by uncertainties of these models or estimators, making it possible to generate trajectories with the consideration of non-holonomic constrains. This paper explains the proposed methodology and discusses the setup of experiments and the results for the validation of the methodology in scenarios with dynamic obstacles. A comparison between the reinforcement learning algorithm and state-of-the-art approaches is also carried out to highlight how the methodology proposed outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates the use of laser technology in environment scanning for performing indoor positioning and mapping. A 360-degree LiDAR forms the core of the project and the input device used for understanding its surrounding. Hector SLAM and ROS are the two technologies implemented in this project. Hector SLAM where SLAM stands for Simultaneous Mapping and Positioning, is the algorithm used to map the environment and improve navigation accuracy. The aim of this project is to allow an autonomous mobile robot to understand an unknown environment and map its surroundings to perform further tasks using the created map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objective with this paper is to analyse and explore emerging autonomous solutions for designing and implementing modular structures. Modular structures have been in use since the 1950s, so the concept is not new to us. Historically, the popularity of modular structures peaked following catastrophic natural disasters or wars, in areas that required rapid rebuilding. However, modular construction somewhat fell out of favour afterward. Nowadays, its popularity is resurging, becoming a notable trend once again. The robots employed in modular construction offer distinct advantages over those used in traditional construction, with streamlined tasks and enhanced efficiency. In this paper, we plan to analyse drones, loaders, cranes, and worker bots. These robots will serve various roles, including observation, construction, organization, and excavation. Furthermore, we aim to integrate these robots with cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, the Internet of things - IoT, cloud services, and building information modelling - BIM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancement in artificial intelligence technology, autonomous mobile robots have been utilized in various applications. In autonomous driving scenarios, object classification is essential for robot navigation. To perform this task, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors, which can obtain depth and height information and have higher resolution than radio detection and ranging (radar) sensors, are preferred over camera sensors. The pillar-based method employs a pillar feature encoder (PFE) to encode 3D LiDAR point clouds into 2D images, enabling high-speed inference using 2D convolutional neural networks. Although the pillar-based method is employed to ensure real-time responsiveness of autonomous driving systems, research on accelerating the PFE is not actively being conducted, although the PFE consumes a significant amount of computation time within the system. Therefore, this paper proposes a PFE hardware accelerator and pillar-based object classification model for autonomous mobile robots. The proposed object classification model was trained and tested using 2971 datasets comprising eight classes, achieving a classification accuracy of 94.3%. The PFE hardware accelerator was implemented in a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) through a register-transfer level design, which achieved a 40 times speedup compared with the firmware for the ARM Cortex-A53 microprocessor unit; the object classification network was implemented in the FPGA using the FINN framework. By integrating the PFE and object classification network, we implemented a real-time pillar-based object classification acceleration system on an FPGA with a latency of 6.41 ms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For successful human–robot collaboration, it is crucial to establish and sustain quality interaction between humans and robots, making it essential to facilitate human–robot interaction (HRI) effectively. The evolution of robot intelligence now enables robots to take a proactive role in initiating and sustaining HRI, thereby allowing humans to concentrate more on their primary tasks. In this paper, we introduce a system known as the Robot-Facilitated Interaction System (RFIS), where mobile robots are employed to perform identification, tracking, re-identification, and gesture recognition in an integrated framework to ensure anytime readiness for HRI. We implemented the RFIS on an autonomous mobile robot used for transporting a patient, to demonstrate proactive, real-time, and user-friendly interaction with a caretaker involved in monitoring and nursing the patient. In the implementation, we focused on the efficient and robust integration of various interaction facilitation modules within a real-time HRI system that operates in an edge computing environment. Experimental results show that the RFIS, as a comprehensive system integrating caretaker recognition, tracking, re-identification, and gesture recognition, can provide an overall high quality of interaction in HRI facilitation with average accuracies exceeding 90% during real-time operations at 5 FPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a complete system architecture for multi-robot coordination for unbalanced task assignments, where a number of robots are supposed to visit and accomplish missions at different locations. The proposed method first clusters tasks into clusters according to the number of robots, then the assignment is done in the form of one-cluster-to-one-robot, followed by solving the traveling salesman problem (TSP) to determine the visiting order of tasks within each cluster. A nonlinear model predictive controller (NMPC) is designed for robots to navigate to their assigned tasks while avoiding colliding with other robots. Several simulations are conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed architecture. Video examples of the simulations can be viewed at https://youtu.be/5C7zTnv2sfo and https://youtu.be/-JtSg5V2fTI?si=7PfzZbleOOsRdzRd. Besides, we compare the cluster-based assignment with a simulated annealing (SA) algorithm, one of the typical solutions for the multiple traveling salesman problem (mTSP), and the result reveals that with a similar optimization effect, the cluster-based assignment demonstrates a notable reduction in computation time. This efficiency becomes increasingly pronounced as the task-to-agent ratio grows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent dramatic increase in e-commerce has also increased the adoption of automation technologies in warehouses. Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are from those technologies widely utilized in warehouse operations. It is important to design the operation of those robotic systems in such a way that, they meet the current and future system requirements correctly. In this paper, we study flexible travel of AMRs in warehouses by developing smart deadlock and collision prevention algorithms on agent-based modelling. By that, AMR agents can interact with each other and environment, so that they can make smart decisions maximizing their goals. We compare the performance of the developed flexible travel system with non-flexible designs where there is a single AMR dedicated to a specific zone so that no deadlock or collision possibility takes place. The results show that AMRs may provide up to 39% improvement in the flexible system compared to its non-flexible design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the challenges for detecting underwater damage to the structures with pile foundation, this study presents the design of an adsorption-operated robotic system. Initially, a prototype is proposed for an adsorption-operated robot that is equipped with an automatic movement mechanism. To account for the disturbance of the drag force in the control system, a hydrodynamic numerical model for the detection robot is established. The numerical results of the drag force are then integrated into the control system, leading to the design of a force-redeemed active disturbance rejection controller. Furthermore, a novel detection algorithm based on the image segmentation network UNet is developed for the automatic identification of damages. The performance of the controller and detection algorithm is evaluated against traditional methods. The results indicate that the proposed force-redeemed active disturbance rejection controller outperforms traditional PID and ADR controllers in terms of overshoot and adjustment time. Moreover, the developed detection algorithm exhibits superior performance in precision, F1 score, and mean intersection over union compared to the traditional algorithms of FCN, PSPnet, Deeplabv3, and UNet. Overall, this paper advances the technology of autonomous robots for underwater detection in the structures with pile foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the Color Histogram Contouring (CHC) method, a new training-less approach to object detection that emphasizes the distinctive features in chrominance components. By building a chrominance-rich feature vector with a bin size of 1, the proposed CHC method exploits the precise information in chrominance features without increasing bin sizes, which can lead to false detections. This feature vector demonstrates invariance to lighting changes and is designed to mimic the opponent color axes used by the human visual system. The proposed CHC algorithm iterates over non-zero histogram bins of unique color features in the model, creating a feature vector for each, and emphasizes those matching in both the scene and model histograms. When both model and scene histograms for these unique features align, it ensures the presence of the model in the scene image. Extensive experiments across various scenarios show that the proposed CHC technique outperforms the benchmark training-less Swain and Ballard method and the algorithm of Viola and Jones. Additionally, a comparative experiment with the state-of-the-art You Only Look Once (YOLO) technique reveals that the proposed CHC technique surpasses YOLO in scenarios with limited training data, highlighting a significant advancement in training-less object detection. This approach offers a valuable addition to computer vision, providing an effective training-less solution for real-time autonomous robot localization and mapping in unknown environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite its potential, warehouse managers still struggle to successfully assimilate autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in their operations. This paper means to identify the moderating factors of AMR assimilation for production warehouses that influence the digital transformation of their intralogistics via AMRs. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on innovation of assimilation theory (IAT), this study followed an explorative approach using the principles of the case study method in business research. The cases comprised of four AMR end users and six AMR service providers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Findings: Four clusters of moderators that affect each stage of AMR assimilation were identified. These clusters include organizational attributes of end users (i.e. production warehouses), service attributes of service providers, technology attributes of AMRs and relational attributes between the AMR service providers and the AMR end users. Originality/value: The authors extend the IAT framework by identifying various moderating factors between different stages of the AMR assimilation process. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to introduce the perspective of AMR end users in conjunction with AMR service providers to the "Industry 4.0" technology assimilation literature. The study propositions regarding these factors guide future intralogistics and AMR research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robotic inspection is advancing in performance capabilities and is now being considered for industrial applications beyond laboratory experiments. As industries increasingly rely on complex machinery, pipelines, and structures, the need for precise and reliable inspection methods becomes paramount to ensure operational integrity and mitigate risks. AI-assisted autonomous mobile robots offer the potential to automate inspection processes, reduce human error, and provide real-time insights into asset conditions. A primary concern is the necessity to validate the performance of these systems under real-world conditions. While laboratory tests and simulations can provide valuable insights, the true efficacy of AI algorithms and robotic platforms can only be determined through rigorous field testing and validation. This paper aligns with this need by evaluating the performance of one-stage models for object detection in tasks that support and enhance the perception capabilities of autonomous mobile robots. The evaluation addresses both the execution of assigned tasks and the robot's own navigation. Our benchmark of classification models for robotic inspection considers three real-world transportation and logistics use cases, as well as several generations of the well-known YOLO architecture. The performance results from field tests using real robotic devices equipped with such object detection capabilities are promising, and expose the enormous potential and actionability of autonomous robotic systems for fully automated inspection and maintenance in open-world settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the application of Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) and Sim2Real strategies to enhance the autonomy of beach-cleaning robots. Experiments demonstrate that DRL agents, initially refined in simulations, effectively transfer their navigation skills to real-world scenarios, achieving precise and efficient operation in complex natural environments. This method provides a scalable and effective solution for beach conservation, establishing a significant precedent for the use of autonomous robots in environmental management. The key advancements include the ability of robots to adhere to predefined routes and dynamically avoid obstacles. Additionally, a newly developed platform validates the Sim2Real strategy, proving its capability to bridge the gap between simulated training and practical application, thus offering a robust methodology for addressing real-life environmental challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores two non‐linear control techniques for designing an effective control system for an omnidirectional autonomous mobile robot with four Mecanum wheels. Due to the unique wheel structure and four separate wheels, the robot has non‐linear dynamics, multiple inputs and outputs. The first technique uses the state‐dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) to address optimal non‐linear control while considering energy and time constraints. The second technique, using an intermediate variable θ$\theta $, has expanded the Hamilton‐Jacobi‐Belman equation in terms of the power series. Consequently, these equations are reduced to a set of recursive Lyapunov algebraic equations, leading to a closed‐form solution for solving the non‐linear optimal control problem. Finally, the maneuverability and path‐tracking capability of the robot are examined by highlighting the non‐linear term through numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robotic control is a fundamental part of autonomous robots. Modular legged and climbing robots are complex machines made up of a variety of subsystems, ranging from a single robot with simple legs to a complex system composed of multiple legs (or modules) with computing power and sensitivity. Their complexity, which is increased by the fact of needing elements for climbing, makes a correct structure crucial to achieve a complete, robust, and versatile system during its operation. Control architectures for legged robots are distinguished from other software architectures because of the special needs of these systems. In this paper, we present an original classification of modular legged and climbing robots, a comprehensive review of the most important control architectures in robotics, focusing on the control of modular legged and climbing robots, and a comparison of their features. The control architecture comparison aims to provide the analytical tools necessary to make informed decisions tailored to the specific needs of your robotic applications. This article includes a review and classification of modular legged and climbing robots, breaking down each category separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a distributed approach to the motion control problem for a platoon of unicycle robots moving through an unknown environment filled with static obstacles under multiple hard and soft operational constraints. Each robot has an onboard camera to determine its relative position in relation to its predecessor and proximity sensors to detect and avoid nearby obstascles. Moreover, no robot apart from the leader can independently localize itself within the given workspace. To overcome this limitation, we propose a novel distributed control protocol for each robot of the fleet, utilizing the Adaptive Performance Control (APC) methodology. By utilizing the APC approach to address input constraints via the on-line modification of the error specifications, we ensure that each follower effectively tracks its predecessor without encountering collisions with obstacles, while simultaneously maintaining visual contact with its preceding robot, thus ensuring the inter-robot visual connectivity. Finally, extensive simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented control system along with a real-time experiment conducted on an actual robotic system to validate the feasibility of the proposed approach in real-world scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (V-SLAM) plays a crucial role in the development of intelligent robotics and autonomous navigation systems. However, it still faces significant challenges in handling highly dynamic environments. The prevalent method currently used for dynamic object recognition in the environment is deep learning. However, models such as Yolov5 and Mask R-CNN require significant computational resources, which limits their potential in real-time applications due to hardware and time constraints. To overcome this limitation, this paper proposes ADM-SLAM, a visual SLAM system designed for dynamic environments that builds upon the ORB-SLAM2. This system integrates efficient adaptive feature point homogenization extraction, lightweight deep learning semantic segmentation based on an improved DeepLabv3, and multi-view geometric segmentation. It optimizes keyframe extraction, segments potential dynamic objects using contextual information with the semantic segmentation network, and detects the motion states of dynamic objects using multi-view geometric methods, thereby eliminating dynamic interference points. The results indicate that ADM-SLAM outperforms ORB-SLAM2 in dynamic environments, especially in high-dynamic scenes, where it achieves up to a 97% reduction in Absolute Trajectory Error (ATE). In various highly dynamic test sequences, ADM-SLAM outperforms DS-SLAM and DynaSLAM in terms of real-time performance and accuracy, proving its excellent adaptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saving energy and resources has become increasingly important for industrial applications. Foremost, this requires knowledge about the energy requirement. For this purpose, this paper presents a state-based energy requirement model for mobile robots, e.g., automated guided vehicles or autonomous mobile robots, that determines the energy requirement by integrating the linearized power requirement parameters within each system state of the vehicle. The model and their respective system states were verified using a qualitative process analysis of 25 mobile robots from different manufacturers and validated by comparing simulated data with experimental data. For this purpose, power consumption measurements over 461 operating hours were performed in experiments with two different industrial mobile robots. System components of a mobile robot, which require energy, were classified and their power consumptions were measured individually. The parameters in the study consist of vehicle speed, load-handling duration, load, utilization, material flow and layout data, and charging infrastructure system frequency, yet these varied throughout the experiments. Validation of the model through real experiments shows that, in a 99 % confidence interval, the relative deviation in the modeled power requirement for a small-scale vehicle is [ − 1.86 % , − 1.14 % ] , whereas, for a mid-scale vehicle, it is [ − 0.73 % , − 0.31 % ] . This sets a benchmark for modeling the energy requirement of mobile robots with multiple influencing factors, allowing for an accurate estimation of the energy requirement of mobile robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous robotic massage holds the potential to alleviate the workload of nurses and improve the quality of healthcare. However, the complexity of the task and the dynamic of the environment present significant challenges for robotic massage. This paper presents a vision-based robotic massage (VBRM) framework that facilitates autonomous robot massaging of the human body while ensuring safe operation in a dynamic environment. The VBRM framework allows the operator to define the massage trajectory by drawing a 2D curve on an RGB image. An interactive trajectory planning method is developed to calculate a 3D massage trajectory from the 2D trajectory. This method accounts for potential movements of the human body and updates the planned trajectory using rigid point cloud registration. Additionally, a hybrid motion/force controller is employed to regulate the motion of the robot's end-effector, considering the possibility of excessive contact force. The proposed framework enables the operator to adjust the massage trajectory and speed according to their requirements. Real-world experiments are conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the proposed approach. The results demonstrate that the framework enables successful planning and execution of the massage task in a dynamic environment. Furthermore, the operator has the flexibility to set the massage trajectory, speed, and contact force arbitrarily, thereby enhancing human–machine interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In recent years, the perceptual capabilities of robots have been significantly enhanced. However, the task execution of the robots still lacks adaptive capabilities in unstructured and dynamic environments. Methods: In this paper, we propose an ontology based autonomous robot task processing framework (ARTProF), to improve the robot's adaptability within unstructured and dynamic environments. ARTProF unifies ontological knowledge representation, reasoning, and autonomous task planning and execution into a single framework. The interface between the knowledge base and neural network-based object detection is first introduced in ARTProF to improve the robot's perception capabilities. A knowledge-driven manipulation operator based on Robot Operating System (ROS) is then designed to facilitate the interaction between the knowledge base and the robot's primitive actions. Additionally, an operation similarity model is proposed to endow the robot with the ability to generalize to novel objects. Finally, a dynamic task planning algorithm, leveraging ontological knowledge, equips the robot with adaptability to execute tasks in unstructured and dynamic environments. Results: Experimental results on real-world scenarios and simulations demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed ARTProF framework. Discussion: In future work, we will focus on refining the ARTProF framework by integrating neurosymbolic inference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous mobile robots are essential to the industry, and human–robot interactions are becoming more common nowadays. These interactions require that the robots navigate scenarios with static and dynamic obstacles in a safely manner, avoiding collisions. This paper presents a physical implementation of a method for dynamic obstacle avoidance using a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network that obtains information from the mobile robot's LiDAR for it to be capable of navigating through scenarios with static and dynamic obstacles while avoiding collisions and reaching its goal. The model is implemented using a TurtleBot3 mobile robot within an OptiTrack motion capture (MoCap) system for obtaining its position at any given time. The user operates the robot through these scenarios, recording its LiDAR readings, target point, position inside the MoCap system, and its linear and angular velocities, all of which serve as the input for the LSTM network. The model is trained on data from multiple user-operated trajectories across five different scenarios, outputting the linear and angular velocities for the mobile robot. Physical experiments prove that the model is successful in allowing the mobile robot to reach the target point in each scenario while avoiding the dynamic obstacle, with a validation accuracy of 98.02%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In robotics, active exploration and learning in uncertain environments must take into account safety, as the robot may otherwise damage itself or its surroundings. This paper presents a method for safe active search using Bayesian optimization and control barrier functions. As robot paths undertaken during sampling are continuous, we consider an informative continuous expected improvement acquisition function. To safely bound the contact forces between the robot and its surroundings, we leverage exponential control barrier functions, utilizing the derivative of the force in the contact model to increase robustness to uncertainty in the contact boundary. Our approach is demonstrated on a fully autonomous robot for ultrasound scanning of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here, active search is a critical component of ensuring high image quality. Furthermore, bounded contact forces between the ultrasound probe and the patient ensure patient safety and better scan quality. To the best of our knowledge, our results are both the first demonstration of safe active search on a fully autonomous robot for ultrasound scanning of rheumatoid arthritis and the first experimental evaluation of bounding contact forces in the context of medical robotics using control barrier functions. The results show that when search time is limited to less than 60 s, informative continuous expected improvement leads to a 92% success, a 13% improvement compared to expected improvement. Meanwhile, exponential control barrier functions can limit the force applied by the robot to under 5 N, even in cases where the contact boundary is specified incorrectly by -1 or +4 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current thyroid ultrasound relies heavily on the experience and skills of the sonographer and the expertise of the radiologist, and the process is physically and cognitively exhausting. In this paper, we report a fully autonomous robotic ultrasound system, which is able to scan thyroid regions without human assistance and identify malignant nod- ules. In this system, human skeleton point recognition, reinforcement learning, and force feedback are used to deal with the difficulties in locating thyroid targets. The orientation of the ultrasound probe is adjusted dynamically via Bayesian optimization. Experimental results on human participants demonstrated that this system can perform high-quality ultrasound scans, close to manual scans obtained by clinicians. Additionally, it has the potential to detect thyroid nodules and provide data on nodule characteristics for American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR TI-RADS) calculation. Current thyroid ultrasounds rely heavily on the experience and skills of the sonographer and of the radiologist, and the process is physically and cognitively exhausting. Here, the authors show a fully autonomous robotic ultrasound system, which is able to scan thyroid regions without human assistance and identify malignant nodules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire incidences are classed as catastrophic events, which mean that persons may experience mental distress and trauma. The development of a robotic vehicle specifically designed for fire extinguishing purposes has significant implications, as it not only addresses the issue of fire but also aims to safeguard human lives and minimize the extent of damage caused by indoor fire occurrences. The primary goal of the AFRC is to undergo a metamorphosis, allowing it to operate autonomously as a specialized support vehicle designed exclusively for the task of identifying and extinguishing fires. Researchers have undertaken the tasks of constructing an autonomous vehicle with robotic capabilities, devising a universal algorithm to be employed in the robotic firefighting process, and designing a fuzzy controller algorithm that can be used in all expected scenarios. The use of a fuzzy logic algorithm in this design demonstrates the usefulness of this system, all factors are involved in which cases are previously identified and taught, as well as the overall map of the premises have been uploaded so that the system can identify the exact place of the fire source, and two types of fire have also been examined. When the performance of the foam pump, water pump, and robotic car motors is compared to the data from the flam sensor, temperature sensor and GPS data, it demonstrates a high responsiveness in terms of applying the appropriate approach based on the type of fire due to the probable action for which the system has been trained. This will have the benefit of shortening the required process for fire extinguishment and using the appropriate fire extinguishing tools. This technology may be used to put out flames, deploy in different areas, and handle a variety of fire scenarios inside buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As autonomous cleaning robots advance, we expect certain features, such as higher area coverage and robustness. To explore these features and their challenges, we need tools and strategies that allow us to develop them rapidly. In this paper, we present lessons learned and results while performing 3 months long field trials on the autonomy of a self‐reconfigurable floor‐cleaning robot. The autonomy here includes path planning and navigation of the robot for coverage in a public food court. The environment of the food court is often subjected to alterations due to human activities. One of the main contributions of this paper is proposing a task‐level execution system to deploy the cleaning robot in an actual use case scenario. We also provide in‐depth discussions on the solutions and the implementation strategies we found in accomplishing goals. These findings would be helpful in conducting autonomy development targeted for field deployments of self‐reconfigurable robots and cleaning robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A marine autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) is a kind of autonomous marine robot with intelligent and flexible use advantages. They are mainly divided into two categories: unmanned vessels and unmanned sailboats. Marine ASVs are essential in marine science, industry, environmental protection, and national defense. One of the primary challenges faced by marine ASVs is autonomously planning paths in an intricate marine environment. Numerous research findings have surfaced in recent years, including the combination with popular machine learning. However, a systematic literature review is still lacking, primarily a comprehensive comparison of two types of ASV path planning methods. This review first introduces the problem and evaluation indicators of path planning for ASVs. Then, aiming at unmanned vessels and sailboats, respectively, it sorts out various path planning algorithms proposed in the existing literature, including the advantages and limitations of both kinds of ASVs, and discusses them in combination with evaluation indicators. Also, this paper explores how marine environmental factors affect path planning and its corresponding treatment methods. Finally, this review summarizes the challenges of unmanned ship path planning, proposes potential technical solutions and future development directions, and aims to provide references for further development in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The autonomous navigation system of feed-pushing robots is one of the key technologies for the intelligent breeding of dairy cows, and its accuracy has a significant influence on the quality of feed-pushing operations. Currently, the navigation methods of feed-pushing robots in the complex environment of cattle barns mainly include visual, LiDAR, and geomagnetic navigation, but there are still problems relating to low navigation accuracy. An autonomous navigation system based on ultra-wideband (UWB) positioning utilizing the dynamic forward-looking distance pure pursuit algorithm is proposed in this paper. First, six anchor nodes were arranged in the corners and central feeding aisle of a 30 × 86 m rectangular standard barn to form a rectangular positioning area. Then, utilizing the 9ITL-650 feed-pushing robot as a platform and integrating UWB wireless positioning technology, a global coordinate system for the cattle barn was established, and the expected path was planned. Finally, the pure pursuit model was improved based on the robot's two-wheel differential kinematics model, and a dynamic forward-looking distance pure pursuit controller based on PID regulation was designed to construct a comprehensive autonomous navigation control system. Subsequently, field experiments were conducted in the cattle barn. The experimental results show that the static positioning accuracy of the UWB system for the feed-pushing robot was less than 16 cm under no-line-of-sight conditions in the cattle barn. At low speeds, the robot was subjected to linear tracking comparative experiments with forward-looking distances of 50, 100, 150, and 200 cm. The minimum upper-line distance of the dynamic forward-looking distance model was 205.43 cm. In the steady-state phase, the average lateral deviation was 3.31 cm, with an average standard deviation of 2.58 cm and the average root mean square error (RMSE) of 4.22 cm. Compared with the fixed forward-looking distance model, the average lateral deviation, the standard deviation, and the RMSE were reduced by 42.83%, 37.07%, and 42.90%, respectively. The autonomous navigation experiments conducted on the feed-pushing robot at travel speeds of 6, 8, and 10 m/min demonstrated that the maximum average lateral deviation was 7.58 cm, the maximum standard deviation was 8.22 cm, and the maximum RMSE was 11.07 cm, meeting the autonomous navigation requirements for feed-pushing operations in complex barn environments. This study provides support for achieving high-precision autonomous navigation control technology in complex environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We seem to be on the cusp of an AI-driven revolution in military affairs. Scholars have explored many aspects of this revolution but one of the most vibrant debates has addressed the question of lethal autonomous weapons. Some scholars believe that autonomous weapons, and especially autonomous drone swarms, are about to colonise the battlefield. This paper assesses this argument. It identifies three common mistakes in discussions of lethal autonomy. Scholars overestimate the capability of autonomous drone swarms. They underestimate their dependence on other weapon systems. Finally, they presume that autonomous weapons will favour the offence. This paper rejects all three claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]