Fast Navigating Guessing Robots

holy_calamity writes "A new navigation technique for robots allows them to make predictions about what's around the corner based on where they've been already. It works well in repetitive environments like office buildings. If this were a Japanese project I'd say it'd be useful for robotic secretaries new on the job, but since it's an American one I suppose it'll be used for automated SWAT teams."

Comments

First Person Shooters

[Ohreally_factor]

I could see this being applied to game technology before it gets applied to law enforcement. This is an interesting approach to an AI (or AI-like) problem. The implementation just happens to be (and is well suited for) robots.

Expect the unexpected

[Silver Sloth]

From TFA

But the method does have limitations, Lee says: "It works well in indoor environments, but wouldn't be very good in less-repetitive outdoors environments." So maybe a hybrid? Whilst in structured environments expect what you know, otherwise expect the unexpected. No one single answer will ever solve all problems (except 42)

Re:Looks like a twist on behavior-based robotics

[timmarhy]

the reason is they lack the ability to put things into context. computers compute, therefor they calculate numbers and stats very well, but the context of a number, that elusive subtle meaning that a number has completely escapes them.

example, say i presented you with the number 42. on here you might associate it with hitch hiker to the galaxay or maybe something else depending on the infinte number of ways i could put it in a sentence.

Been there done almost that

[noddyxoi]

In my project called DATMO (Detection And Tracking of Moving Objects) i've made a tracker that followed people that could "guess" where the people would appear next, using an industrial laser scanner, check the video at http://miarn.sourceforge.net/videos/pv3d_peopletra cking_and_scene.avi

Have you ever been out of the US

[Anonymous Coward]

Having lived in Japan and other Asian countries. I would expect the Japanese to have the robot SWAT teams long before the US. I note that those most likely to make the inexperienced remarks about America vs the rest of the world are either Americans with limited or no experience in non American countries, cultures or languages or Europeans who have equally little actual first hand knowledge of America.

Re:Looks like a twist on behavior-based robotics

[Farmer Tim]

I think you've unintentionally summed up the problem with designing an all-purpose self-navigating robot quite well: it's as easy as putting Google's database and processing power in a box on wheels.

Re:Looks like a twist on behavior-based robotics

[Farmer Tim]

I agree "Google on wheels" is not the solution, and I think part of the problem with robotics is the overwhelming desire to make them fully self-contained, when it's neither necessary or efficient for most situations (that is, anything terrestrial).

All a robot really needs to have built-in is the equivalent of a nervous system and a brain stem with basic (using the word "basic" very loosely) housekeeping functions like communications, avoiding fast moving objects or balance in the case of bipedal robots; things where a 100ms lag could be fatal (network congestion is always a possibility). Higher functions, like environment mapping, task-based decision making and database functions, could easily be remote without introducing a significant delay (I'm assuming a self propelled robot wouldn't be used in precision, high speed manufacturing where timing is critical, as the robots we have are perfectly adequate and would be far cheaper).

What disturbs me is that this would be possible with, essentially, an old HeathKit HERO with a WiFi adaptor (OK, the SONAR would have to be replaced with LIDAR for accurate mapping, but since that data could be sent as a raw stream to the host processor it could actually decrease the need for on-board computing power compared to the 1980's robot, ignoring for the moment the overhead for a TCP stack). As far as I can see, what's really lacking is an extensible command protocol and a willingness to move away from the "Forbidden Planet" design paradigm.

But I'm no expert in this field myself. A bit of small scale animatronics is as close as I get :/