Artificial neural networks for coordination and control: The portability of experiential representations

It is time to locate connectionist representation theory in the new wave of robotics research. The utility of representations developed in artificial neural networks (ANNs) during learning has been demonstrated in cognitive science research since the 1980s. The research reported here puts learned representations to work in a decentered control task, the disembodied arm problem, in which a mobile robot operates an arm fixed to a table to pick up objects. There is no physical linkage between the arm and the robot and so the robot's point of view must be decentered. This is done by developing a modular Artificial Neural Net system in three stages: (i) a classifier net is trained with laser scan data to output transformationally invariant position classes; (ii) an arm net is trained for picking up objects; (iii) an inter net is trained to communicate and coordinate the sensing and acting. The completed system is shown to create new nonsymbolic transformationally invariant representations in order to perform the effective generalization of decentered viewpoints.     

A geometry-based error estimation for cross-ratios

For choosing specific cross-ratios as 2D projective coordinates in various computer vision applications, a reasonable error analysis model is usually required. This investigation adopts the assumption of normal distribution for positioning errors of point features in an image to formulate the error variances of cross-ratios. Based on a geometry-based error analysis, a straightforward way of identifying the cross-ratios with minimum error variances is proposed. Simulation results show that the proposed approach, as well as a further simplified alternative, yield much better estimations of minimum error variances in terms of accuracy, cost, and stability compared with some other methods, e.g., the one based on the rule given by Georis et al. (IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell. 20 (4) (1998) 366). Some causes of the performance differences in the estimations are explained using a special configuration of point features.     

Theoretical Investigation of Time Suboptimal Control of Industrial Manipulators Along Specified Paths

A method for the time suboptimal control of an industrial manipulator from an initial position and orientation to a final position and orientation as it moves along a specified path is proposed. Nonlinear system equations that describe the manipulator motion are linearized at each time step along the path. A method which gives the control inputs (joint angular velocities) for time suboptimal control of the manipulator is developed. In the formulation, joint angular velocity and acceleration limitations are also taken into consideration. A six degree of freedom elbow type manipulator is used in numerical examples to verify the method developed.     

On the Yustova threshold plates

A response to criticism of threshold plates for the study of color vision developed at the Mendeleev All-Russia Research Institute of Metrology and published in 1994 is presented. The critics base their conclusions on colorimetric testing and the examination of the plates. In response to the article by M. V. Danilova and J. D. Mollon [4]. __________ Translated from Izmeritel’naya Tekhnika, No. 1, pp. 37–39, January, 2007.     

Color vision in horses (Equus caballus): Deficiencies identified using a pseudoisochromatic plate test.

In the past, equine color vision was tested with stimuli composed either of painted cards or photographic slides or through physiological testing using electroretinogram flicker photometry. Some studies produced similar results, but others did not, demonstrating that there was not yet a definitive answer regarding color vision in horses (Equus caballus). In this study, a pseudoisochromatic plate test--which is highly effective in testing color vision both in small children and in adult humans--was used for the first time on a nonhuman animal. Stimuli consisted of different colored dotted circles set against backgrounds of varying dots. The coloration of the circles corresponded to the visual capabilities of different types of color deficiencies (anomalous trichromacy and dichromacy). Four horses were tested on a 2-choice discrimination task. All horses successfully reached criterion for gray circles and demonstration circles. None of the horses were able to discriminate the protan-deutan plate or the individual protan or deutan plates. However, all were able to discriminate the tritan plate. The results suggest that horses are dichromats with color vision capabilities similar to those of humans with red-green color deficiencies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Color changes in cyanosis and the significance of congenital dichromasy and lighting

There are anecdotal reports of color vision deficient medical practitioners (particularly deuteranopes) having difficulty in recognizing cyanosis. An understanding of the color changes in oxygenated blood has led to a better understanding of the lighting needs for hospitals. Using the same database, this article investigates the propensity for color vision deficient observers to make mistakes with cyanotic patients. The possibilities for helping the observer with appropriate color of lighting are considered. The spectral reflectances of blood at varying oxygenation levels previously reported were used 7 ; 8 to calculate chromaticity and lightness. The direction of the chromaticity change was compared with the protanopic and deuteranopic confusion lines. An attempt was made to identify sources that enhanced color changes for the color deficient. The color change of blood oxygenation is closely aligned with the confusion lines of congenital dichromats (particularly protanopia) showing the potential for difficulty in making this decision. No source could be demonstrated to solve the problem or even reduce it significantly. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 32, 428–432, 2007     

Effects of luminance,wavelength and purity on the color attributes: Brief review with new data and perspectives

A color stimulus may be characterized by three psychophysical dimensions (luminance, dominant wavelength, and purity), whose corresponding color attributes are lightness, hue, and chroma/colorfulness. The 3 × 3 matrix gives nine basic effects of the psychophysical dimensions on the color attributes (e.g. the effect of luminance on hue), but there are 49 possible combinations as more complex effects (e.g. the effect of luminance on hue and chroma, i.e. on chromaticity). Researching and quantifying such effects enables modelling of the underlying neural mechanisms and of color appearance. Using a simple nomenclature to identify the effects (e.g. Ph denotes the effect of Purity on hue), this paper briefly reviews and interrelates 15 of the commonest effects, giving new data or new graphical perspectives to clarify or fill gaps in the literature. Contrast and no‐contrast effects (stimuli viewed simultaneously or singly, respectively) are differentiated. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 32, 208–222, 2007     

基于栅格法-模拟退火法的机器人路径规划

路径规划是机器人技术中的重要组成部分,分全局路径规划和局部路径规划。本文将栅格法与模拟退火法结合,采用栅格法表示环境信息。局部路径规划主要基于模拟退火法,使路径跳出局部极小点,到达目标位置。     

BIMORPH PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR FOR SMALL PIPE ROBOT

An experimental bimorph piezoelectric element (PZT) actuator for small pipe robot is developed. The robot can move in φ20 mm pipe, and can carry a CCD camera for detecting cracks or fine holes on inner surface of pipe. The velocity of the robot can reach 17～22 mm/s for vertical pipe up/down, respectively. Moving principle and its performance characteristics are presented.