Journal of Robotics, Networking and Artificial Life

In order to improve the accuracy in the On-line measurement of rail profile with a line structured light based on machine vision, the accurate extraction of a structured light stripe is a necessary and key step. An accurate extraction method is proposed for the structural light stripe in practical applications....

Undershoot phenomena caused by unstable zeros of non-minimum-phase (NMP) plant is difficult to deal with in active disturbance rejection control (ADRC). This paper proposes a new method to reduce undershoot by optimizing the controller parameters of discrete-time ADRC system. Simulation results are given...

In a standard Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs), one uses the same rate for mutations from bit 1 to bit 0 and its reverse direction. There are many reports that the asymmetric mutation model is a very powerful strategy in EAs to obtain better solutions more efficiently. In this paper, we report stochastic...

This study aims to systematically shed light on what kind of effects are brought about by the film techniques in individual commercial messages. Based on audiovisual experiments, with positive factors as the evaluation index, we considered what could be analyzed from film techniques and their effects....

This paper devotes to the problem of ellipse-to-ellipse coplanar rendezvous, where the solution and distribution of Hohmann-type optimal impulsive rendezvous are investigated. The analytical relation between the initial states and rendezvous time are derived for Hohmann-type, and the optimal impulse...

In this paper, the intelligent networking integration system is designed and constructed by applying the Controller Area Network (CAN)open profiles as communication protocol for tool machine production line. While the basic network management and data transmission is followed by the dictionary objects...

Evaluating a test suite that contains redundant test cases is necessary to reduce the cost of testing. The redundant test cases exist when both of the two test cases are executed the same lines of code. This research evaluates the test suite by identifying redundant test cases. Exact match approach is...

This paper proposes a method for detecting anomaly stop events from GPS logs of a vehicle recorded by smartphone. Despite of many researches of strong braking event detection are proposed, they cannot discriminate between a normal and an abnormal braking event. Our proposal includes an IMAC model for...

Aimed at the problem that the recognition accuracy of the monocular camera is low, we propose a binocular vision recognition algorithm for action recognition based on HART-Net(Human action recognition networks).Firstly, the left and right views obtained by the binocular camera are matched to obtain the...

In this paper, a method to generate traffic safety maps automatically from a collection of GPS logs of a drivers' smartphone. So far methods that residents can update their traffic environment better by their opinion are required for. The proposed method which uses a collection of individual summary...

To develop a robot that understands human feeling, we propose a method for recognizing facial expressions. A video was analyzed by thermal image processing and the feature parameter of facial expression, which was extracted in the area of the mouth and jaw by a two-dimensional discrete cosine transform....

Natural computing (NC) is an emerging area of research that investigates computing techniques and models inspired by nature on one hand, and it also investigates phenomena taking place in nature in terms of computational methodologies on the other hand. Thus, research in NC congenitally has interdisciplinary...

Recently, there have been many studies on Multi-agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) in which each autonomous agent obtains its own control rule by RL. Here, we hypothesize that different agents having individuality is more effective than uniform agents in terms of role differentiation in MARL. We have...

To improve the quality of life of elderly people living in a home or healthcare facility, especially in a rural area, we have been developing a method for analyzing the facial expressions of a person using a video phone system (Skype) to speak with another person. In the present study, we proposed a...

We report on the development of a real-time system for facial expression horizontal asymmetry analysis and visualization. In this system, the image signal input from a webcam is analyzed using OpenCV, and feature parameters (facial expression intensity) are measured separately for the left and right...

A current-fed bridgeless interleaved power factor correction rectifier with voltage-doubler characteristic is proposed for a hybrid electric vehicle charging system. The simulated efficiencies, Total current Harmonics current Distortion (THDi), and Power Factor (PF) for the bridgeless interleaved Power...

In this study, we carried out the facial expression recognition from facial expression dataset using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN). In addition, we analyzed intermediate outputs of CNN. As a result, we have obtained a emotion recognition score of about 58%; two emotions (Happiness, Surprise) recognition...

This research has implemented a prototype of a supporting tool to generate testing communication diagram. The testing communication diagram helps a developer to understand where the software system is tested by a large quantity of test cases written in text, and it is generated by adding the information...

This paper considers the formation control of nonholonomic mobile robots. The formation problem is converted to the error model based on the leader-follower structure. A sliding mode controller, which is proved to be globally finite-time stable by Lyapunov stability theory, is presented in this study....

Aiming at the problem that the vibration signal of the incipient fault is weak, an automatic and intelligent fault diagnosis algorithm combined with ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), principal component analysis (PCA) and probabilistic neural network (PNN) is proposed for rolling bearing...

To develop a complex computer system such as a robot that can communicate smoothly with humans, it is necessary to equip the system with a function for both understanding human emotions and expressing emotional signals. From both perspectives, facial expression is a promising research area. In our research,...

This paper investigates the tracking control of a two-wheeled mobile robot in both kinematic and dynamic models. Differential flatness and PD-spectral theory are used for controller design. Based on differential flatness, the original system is transformed via a state prolongation and a state transformation...

Due to the recent improvement in computer performance and computational tools, deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been established as powerful class of models in various problems such as image classification, recognition, and object detection. In this study, we address two fundamentally dissimilar...

This paper analyzes the working principle of VIENNA rectifier and establishes the transformation model of rectifier in three different mathematical coordinate systems. First is to obtain the control structure of the converter, which is a double closed loop control structure (the voltage is the outer...

Decades of research into intelligent, playful technology and user-friendly man-machine interfaces has provided important insight into the creation of robotic systems and intelligent interactive systems which are much more user-friendly, safer and cheaper than what appeared possible merely a decade or...

This paper investigates an attitude reorientation control scheme of spacecraft, considering attitude forbidden zone and external disturbances. A novel potential barrier function is proposed with an attitude constraint term and a dynamical scaling term. Here the dynamical scaling term is synthesized with...

In the development of the aging society, it is important for patients with hemiplegia to introduce adaptive welfare equipment. However, it is difficult to determine the suitable reference signal for each person. In this study, the design of a data-oriented cascade control system based on Kansei is proposed....

A non-photorealistic rendering method has been proposed to generate cell-like images in which cell-like patterns are represented in photographic images. Cell-like patterns are automatically generated by the change of density of photographic images. However, cell-like patterns are irregularly arranged....

This study clarifies unique characteristics of Japanese manufacturing firms in the international business management environment using the United Nations Global Compact delisting ratio through a comparative study on Japan, China, Spain, and the US. Analyzing the number of countries and delisting ratios...

The saliency map is proposed by Itti et al., to represent the conspicuity or saliency in the visual field and to guide the selection of attended locations based on the spatial distribution of saliency, which works as the trigger of bottom-up attention. If a certain location in the visual field is sufficiently...

E. coli is “wise” enough to take suitable responding time, and suitable responding behaviors, when facing different kinds and intensities of stimulations. In a network of glycogen metabolism, a shorter time stimuli result in the post translation level reactions for quicker response, and a longer time...

The deep Group Method of Data Handling (GMDH)-type neural network is applied to the medical image analysis of brain X-ray CT image. In this algorithm, the deep neural network architectures which have many hidden layers and fit the complexity of the nonlinear systems, are automatically organized using...

We investigated the postural sway in response to local vibratory stimulation applied to young, middle-aged and elderly people in the standing position. For this purpose we developed a variable-frequency vibratory stimulation device and measured the postural sway using a gravicorder. As a result, when...

Exercise support systems for the elderly have been developed and some were equipped with a motion sensor to evaluate their exercise motion. Normally, it provides three-dimensional time-series data of over 20 joints. In this study, we propose to apply Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) methodology to...

The maintenances of social infrastructures such as dams and bridges are important subjects. The older the infrastructure becomes, the more need there is for effective inspection methods. In the inspection of the underwater dam structure, divers can be used, but the inspection result is insufficient....

Micro-precision Glass Insulated Terminals (referred to as glass terminals) are the core components used in precision electronic equipment and are often used for electrical connections between modules. As a glass terminal, its quality has a great influence on the performance of precision electronic equipment....

In this paper, adaptive control system with neural network (NN) will be designed. At the beginning, parallel feedforward compensator (PFC) will be designed by using one-shot experimental data of controlled system via differential evolution (DE). From the obtained PFC and the ideal almost strictly positive...

Several sub-disciplines of engineering are driven by the researchers’ aim of providing positive change to the society through their engineering. These researchers are challenged by the traditional research method of experimental research with a waterfall model which demands clearly defined project definition...

This paper proposes a reaching movement model for the generation of desired trajectories within a myoelectric prosthesis training system. First, an experiment was performed to observe reaching movements with a non-impaired subject and a myoelectric prosthesis user. Reaching movements made by the prosthesis...

Error recovery in robotic tasks is explored to enable robots to be used for complicated tasks. The authors’ error recovery processes make use of the concepts of both task stratification and error classification. In this paper, the reusability of planning in error recovery is verified by using the typical...

Experimental results of a biomimetic silicon synaptic circuit capable of generating both excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents are presented. The generated synaptic current takes into account its first-order dependence on the instantaneous value of the postsynaptic membrane potential, with...

The primary goal of the authors’ research related to the generation of narratives and haikus is to complete a mutual transformation mechanism between a narrative and a haiku. In this work, the authors propose a framework for transforming a narrative into haiku. The paper shows a basic method of generating...

Storing sensitive data in a centralized way can lead to significant loss, should the central node or networks links be defective as is the case in numerous countries, especially developing countries. Consequently, this paper proposes to deal with this problem by diluting sensitive data into an ecosystem...

The estimation methods for Twitter user’s attributes typically require a vast amount of labeled data. Therefore, an efficient way is to tag the unlabeled data and add it to the set. We applied the self-training SVM as a semi-supervised method for age estimation and introduced Plat scaling as the unlabeled...

Test suite reusability measurement is important to obtain the value of reusability as the degree of effectiveness of reused test suite. The measurement in this experiment considers not only the frequency of the successful test suite to examine different objects but also the code coverage as the criteria...

In this study, the synchronized response in the chaotic cellular neural network for a grayscale visual stimulus was investigated in the viewpoint of neural coding. Simple gradation patterns were used as visual stimuli and the synchronized response was analyzed by the correlation of the spike firing times....

We already proposed a decision making system for autonomous robots, which is based on a Markovian emotional model proposed by Banik. In our proposed system, decision making of the robot is designed automatically by two processes that are the construction of emotions and optimization of behavior selection...

Many mobile robots that use spherical locomotion employ friction-drive systems because such systems offer omnidirectional locomotion and are more capable of climbing steps than omni-wheel systems. One notable issue associated with friction-drive systems is slipping between the sphere and the roller....

Decreasing the number of people working in the agriculture sector is a serious problem in Japan. Production of agricultural products in a plant factory is one of the solutions to the above problem. However, setting optimal environmental conditions is difficult owing to the nonlinearity of the system....

To develop better assist function for a walking assist cart, we focused on the prediction of the intention of a user. As the first step of the research, the forces and torques to the cart from the user’s hands, and the rotational velocities of the wheels are sensing. And the support vector machine is...

This paper proposes a hexapod type microrobot controlled by an artificial neural networks IC. The structural component of the microrobot is produced by micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) process. The rotary actuator inside the robot is composed of the artificial muscle wire of shape memory alloy...

We analyse the state of the art of hi-tech and robot based technologies in terms of Assistive Technology for all patients and, in particular, elderly people assistance and everyday activities aid. We focus on different aspects and characteristics of these tools, such as playfulness, invasiveness, learning-speed,...

With the trend of Industry 4.0, the communication established by Ethernet is becoming more and more common in the Industrial Control System (ICS), and it brings not only pros but also cons like vulnerabilities from information technology. Furthermore, most devices in the ICS are not ready for cyberattacks,...

This paper presents a distributed terminal (finite-time) backstepping consensus control for multi-agent Euler-Lagrange systems. Terminal virtual error surfaces and virtual controls are proposed to guarantee the finite-time error consensus and formation convergence of a group of one-leader and multi-follower...

This paper focuses on the distributed multi-target rotating encirclement formation problem of strict-feedback multi-agent systems using bearing measurements. To this end, an estimator is presented to localize agents’ neighbor targets. Then, based on the trajectory planning method, a reference trajectory...

Caenorhabditis elegans is a small worm which is approximately 1 mm in length. The present study proposes an estimation method for frictional force using locomotion information obtained from video analysis of actual worms. The results indicate that the body model driven by the estimated frictional force...

DSSN model is a qualitative neuronal model designed for efficient implementation in digital arithmetic circuit. In our previous studies, we developed automatic parameter fitting method using the differential evolution algorithm for regular and fast spiking neuron classes. In this work, we extended the...

MAG (an Italian acronym which stands for Musical Genetic Algorithms) is an electronic art piece in which a multifaceted software attempts to “translate” musical expression into a corresponding static or animated graphical expressions. The mechanism at the base of such “translation” consists in a quite...

We developed a new training system UR-System 2 for restoring motor function of the upper limb after stroke in patients with hemiplegia. And then, we conducted clinical evaluation of the therapeutic effect of training with the UR-System 2 in six patients. The UR-System uses Proprioceptive Neuromuscular...

Many self-tuning Proportional–Integral–Derivative (PID) controllers have been proposed. However, these methods are rarely employed to actual systems because of low reliability of an on-line PID parameter estimator. In this work, a performance adaptive controller that has two stages of PID parameters...

We develop the system to decide the efficient layout of assembly production line by using Genetic Algorithm (GA). We call the system as Decision System of Plural Production-lines-layout by GA (PPG). PPG decides the efficient layout of production line by using GA, work-flow-line acquired by Chameleon...

Currently, in the field of human-robot interaction (HRI), robots have a problem that can only interact the same at all times with humans. In this paper, therefore, we introduce the concept called a dividual and build a model of the dividual to grow through interactions with others. In addition, using...

Autoencoders (AEs) have been applied in several applications such as anomaly detectors and object recognition systems. However, although the recent neural networks have relatively high accuracy but sometimes false detection may occur. This paper introduces AE as an anomaly detector. The proposed AE is...

We developed a method for analyzing the facial expressions of a person having a conversation on a videophone. This was implemented on a wireless local area network, consisting of two personal computers and a router; the subject and the operator are placed in front of each computer. The module contains...

We have developed a real-time system for expressing emotion as a pictograph selected according to the facial expression while writing a message. The image signal is analyzed by our real-time system using image processing software (OpenCV) and a previously proposed feature parameter. We applied the system...

Fever is one of the most common concern to be taken care by parents which sometimes force them to bring their children to the hospital emergency for continuous following up especially at night when sleeping. Fever is defined when the rectal temperature reaches over 38.0°C (100.4°F). Temperatures measured...

In this research, six brands of soft drinks are decided to be picked up by a robot with a monocular Red Green Blue (RGB) camera. The drinking bottles need to be located and classified with brands before being picked up. The Mask Regional Convolutional Neural Network (R-CNN), a mask generation network...

In this paper, the problem of finite-time stabilization is developed for nonholonomic chained form systems with communication delay in the input. The finite-time control laws are presented by utilizing the switching control strategy and the theory of finite-time stability, which can make the states of...

Multiagent systems, where many agents work together to achieve their objectives, and cooperative behaviors between agents need to be realized, have been widely studied In this paper, a new reinforcement learning framework considering the concept of “Symbiosis” in order to represent complicated relationships...

This study develops the system called UNARM which assists the unit placement decision of the automatic assembling equipment to assemble efficiently. The unit is a part supply or a robot hand constituting assembling equipment. It is the system which decides these unit placements where of the assembling...

The concept of “Building Type Control” was employed to establish hierarchical design guidelines for the urban regeneration process. GIS was used to manage and map environmental database as visual reference tool. Existing building regulations and urban design policies were reviewed to set out limitation...

The aim of this study is to improve classification performance of neural networks as an EEG-based BCI for mobile robot control by means of hyperparameter optimization in training the neural networks. The hyperparameters were intuitively decided in our preceding study. It is expected that the classification...

This paper studies verification of a combination of hand gestures recognized by using the Myo armband as an input device. To this end, relationship between data distribution and learning curves is investigated for binary classification and multi-class classification problems. A verification method is...

Analysis of large data sets is increasingly important in business and scientific research. One of the challenges in such analysis stems from uncertainty in data, which can produce anomalous results. This paper proposes a method for detecting an anomaly in time series data using a Support Vector Machine...

The predictive coding is a widely accepted hypothesis on how our internal visual perceptions are generated. Dynamical predictive coding with reservoir computing (PCRC) models have been proposed, but how they work remains to be clarified. Therefore, we first construct a simple PCRC network and analyze...

In order to improve the applications for an industrial robot, it is necessary to increase its flexibility and accuracy. The machine vision technology is an effective solution. In order to reduce the influence of the size, deformation etc., the target extraction method with fusion of color space and moment...

This paper proposes an obstacle avoidance method based on a multi-layered non-contact impedance model for control of the biosignal-based electric wheelchair. The proposed system can calculate a virtual repulsive force before the collision by multi-layered impedance fields covered around it. This system...

As the exponential increase of data in the world, machine learning, pattern recognition, data mining etc. are attracting more attentions recently. Classification is one of the major research in pattern recognition and a large number of methods have been proposed such as decision trees, neural networks...

This paper proposes a knee exoskeleton with passive-powering mechanism to provide power assistance to the knee joint during squat lifting of objects from the ground. It is designed to capture and store 20% of the biomechanical energy dissipated at the biological knee joint during decent phase and return...

Collaboration is one of the effective approaches that help us to share knowledge together and exchange ideas within team members. Sometimes, helpful new knowledge that is not held by the members emerges as a result of the collaboration. Such knowledge often contributes to get prime solutions in the collaboration...

In recent years, music therapy has been performed with the aim at recovering the cognitive function of elderly people. In the previously reported system, it was necessary to input the subjective evaluation of the user to determine the next recommended song. In this study, variations in fingertip skin...

In recent years, research on detecting disaster areas from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images has been conducted. When machine learning is used for disaster area detection, a large number of training data are required; however, we cannot obtain so much training data with correct class labels. Therefore,...

The dynamical property of the heart bioelectrical system is closely associated with cardiac diseases. For this reason, there is a growing interest in the development of system analysis for studying the cardiac signaling network. In this article, extracellular potentials of cardiac muscle cells were measured...

Burst firing in subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been suggested to be highly associated with the motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, which result from a loss of dopamine. Although it is clinically very important to clarify the mechanism underlying the bursting dynamics, complex interactions between STN...

The passive reflectionless transmission-line model can reproduce physiological cochlear properties. We have applied an optimization technique to obtain good parameter values that give a desired cochlear property. However, we found that, in some case, it is difficult to find the sub-optimal parameter...

This paper describes a possible new scheme for a user with mental health problems to identify his/her own mental state and control it. For that purpose, we propose an indirect biofeedback system which represents physiological information with color and shape, and enables the user to grasp his/her inner...

This paper deals with the verification of a narrative discourse system. The system automatically produces a variety of discourse structures from an inputted story structure through an iterative mutual action between a narrator and narratee mechanisms. We analyze a series of generated discourse structures...

This paper mainly focuses on the recognition of Chinese handwritten characters. By using the deep learning technology, a deep convolution neural network (CNN) is constructed to identify the handwritten character set, and finally gets the network structure that can be used for recognition. By comparing...

The purpose of this research is to develop a system named DELUGA which automatically decides by genetic algorithm (GA) where to place a lot of assembled parts, jigs and robot hands in the workstation when designing a cell type assembly machine with a dual arms robot. In DELUGA, since the left and right...

Chemical communication systems, such as bio-inspired chemical sensory systems or biological cells, sense the environment by detecting target ligand molecules, which convey environmental information. However, non-target ligands, similar to the target ones, are ubiquitous in the environment and can hamper...

In this research, we propose a Convolutional Network with sub-Networks (CNSN), i.e., a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) or base-model that can be divided into sub-models on demand. The CNN architecture, entails that feature map shapes are varied throughout the model, therefore, the hidden layer within...

The first author has developed TANABE therapy for severe hemiplegic stroke patients. In this paper we developed a training system (UR-System-PARKO) on the basis of TANABE therapy. The clinical test of the therapeutic effect of the UR-System-PARKO was performed in severe plegic hand. The results show...

Previously, we have proposed a method applying Sequential Probability Ratio Test (SPRT) to the structural change detection problem of ongoing time series data. In this paper, we introduce a structural change model with Poisson process into a system that outputs a set of ongoing time series data, moment...

In our previously reported system, after the first music recommendation process using collaborative filtering was terminated, the second recommendation process based on the scores for impression words finds the most similar music to the successfully recommended music among music that has not yet been...

Previously, we have illustrated that the Histogram Matching based on Gaussian Distribution (HMGD) is an effective automated image processing method for obtaining a better feeling impression image. However, the simple HMGD works only for the image whose histogram has just one peak. For the image whose...

We consider the runtime property of discrete linear functions in (1 + 1) Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs), Partially Ordered mutation (PO-mutation) and Jansen’s model, Partially Ordered Evolutionary Algorithm (PO-EA). We analyze the process of evolution. This study was motivated by the paper of Jansen treating...

We have proposed an error recovery method using the concepts of task stratification and error classification. In this paper, the recovery process after the judgment of error is described in detail. In particular, we explain how to change the parameters of planning, modeling, and sensing when error recovery...

In recent years, dual-arm robots have attracted more and more attention due to their advantages such as strong cooperation ability and high flexibility. With the improvement of real-time requirement of dual-arm cooperation, the inverse kinematics solution of robot becomes a key problem to be solved urgently....

This research looks at an ultra-low power subthreshold-operated silicon neuron circuit designed with qualitative neuronal modeling. One technical challenge to future implementation of such circuits is parameter tuning — a problem stemming from temperature sensitivity of subthreshold-operated MOSFETs...