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Many teams participating in robotic competitions achieve localization using a 2D map plotted using adaptive Monte Carlo localization, a robot operating system (ROS) open-source software program. However, outdoor environments often include nonlevel terrain such as slopes. In the indoor environment of multilevel structures, the data representing different levels overlap on the map. These factors can lead to localization failures. To resolve this problem, we develop a software by combining HDL localization, which is an ROS open-source software, with our own program, and use it to achieve localization based on a 3D map. Furthermore, the authors observe the erroneous recognition of a slope as a forward obstacle during a competition event. To resolve this, we propose a method to correct erroneous recognition of obstacles using a 2D laser range finder and 3D map and confirm its validity in an experiment carried out on a slope on a university campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a method for the recognition of the opened/closed states of automatic sliding glass doors to allow for automatic robot-controlled movement from outdoors to indoors and vice versa by a robot. The proposed method uses an RGB-D camera as a sensor for extraction of the automatic sliding glass doors region and image recognition to determine whether the door is opened or closed. The RGB-D camera measures the distance between the opened or moving door frames, thereby facilitating outdoor to indoor movement and vice versa. Several automatic sliding glass doors under different experimental conditions are experimentally investigated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the trash-collection challenge of the Nakanoshima Robot Challenge, an autonomous robot must collect trash (bottles, cans, and bentos) scattered in a defined area within a time limit. A method for collecting the trash is to use machine learning to recognize the objects, move to the target location, and grasp the objects. An autonomous robot can achieve the target position and posture by rotating on the spot at the starting point, moving in a straight line, and rotating on the spot at the destination, but the rotation requires stopping and starting. To achieve faster movement, we implemented a smooth movement approach without sequential stops using a spline curve. When using the training data previously generated by the authors in their laboratory for object recognition, the robot could not correctly recognize objects in the environment of the robot competition, where strong sunlight shines through glass, because of the varying brightness and darkness. To solve this problem, we added our newly generated training data to YOLO, an image-recognition algorithm based on deep learning, and performed machine learning to achieve object recognition under various conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, various robotics competitions are being held, including the Tsukuba Challenge. The purpose of participating in a robotics competition is to confirm what can be done with the current technology and to demonstrate new research results. Participating teams often use open source software (OSS) for path planning and autonomous navigation. OSS is advantageous in facilitating participation in robotics competitions. However, applying it to a new robot is difficult when a new research does not involve OSS. In addition, robot systems do not consist only of OSS, and the burden of developing and maintaining other systems is significant. To solve the above problems, a software platform that allows for the addition of research achievements of individual robots is desired. With such a platform, research elements that have already been developed can be shared without the need to develop a new system. This makes it easier to maintain and manage the system and increase its sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Object detectors using deep learning are currently used in various situations, including robot demonstration experiments, owing to their high accuracy. However, there are some problems in the creation of training data, such as the fact that a lot of labor is required for human annotations, and the method of providing training data needs to be carefully considered because the recognition accuracy decreases due to environmental changes such as lighting. In the Nakanoshima Challenge, an autonomous mobile robot competition, it is challenging to detect three types of garbage with red labels. In this study, we developed a garbage detector by semi-automating the annotation process through detection of labels using colors and by preparing training data by changing the lighting conditions in three ways depending on the brightness. We evaluated the recognition accuracy on the university campus and addressed the challenge of using the discriminator in the competition. In this paper, we report these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for a harmless noncontact trapping and transportation method in manipulation and measurement of biological micro objects waits to be met. In this paper, a novel micromanipulation method named “Hydrodynamic Tweezers” using the vortex induced by oscillating a single piezoelectric actuator is introduced. The piezoelectric actuator is set between a micropipette and a copper beam. Oscillating the actuator at a certain frequency causes the resonance of the copper beam and extend 1D straight oscillation of the piezoelectric actuator to 2D circular oscillation of the micropipette, which induces a micro vortex after putting the micropipette into fluid. The induced vortex featuring low pressure in its core area can trap the object nearby. A robotic micromanipulator is utilized to transport the trapped objects together with the micropipette. Experiments of trapping and transportation microbeads are carried out to characterize the key parameters. The results show that the trapping force can be controlled by adjusting peak-peak voltage of the sinusoidal voltage input into the piezoelectric actuator.