Human psychology for coexisting robots is evaluated using virtual reality. CG robots are presented to human subjects using immersive 3D visualization system "CAVE". Then the subjects answer the questionnaire about their impressions on the robots. In the present report, impressions for the shapes of humanoid robots are investigated. Nine types of CG robots with different widths of head, body and legs are generated; one of them is a standard robot. Each of eight robots and the standard robot are presented to 25 subjects simultaneously, and the impressions for the eight robots compared with the standard robot are evaluated by SD method. The results show the effects of the shapes of humanoid robots on friendliness, quickness, and leadership-activity.

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This paper proposes a learning model which enables a baby robot to acquire the early communication in human development. The robot stores the time sequence of sensor information in its memory when the internal state rises up by the sudden sensor change such as big sound or face detection. The memory helps the robot to predict the response of the caregiver. The experimental result shows that the robot can acquire one of the early communications, peekaboo, by the proposed system.

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In this paper, we discuss how to recognize gesture patterns of a human. It is very natural and useful for a human to use a gesture in order to give the robot a specific task. Furthermore, the gesture plays an important role in interaction and communication with human. Therefore, we propose gesture recognition methods of a partner robot for natural communication with human. First, we apply a steady-state genetic algorithm to detect a human hand. Next, we apply a spiking neural network for extracting a human hand motion and a self-organizing map for extracting human hand motion pattern. Finally, we show experimental results of gesure recognition for a partner robot, and discuss the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

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This paper discusses how to control a robot's head and how to show images in robotic telecommunication. We developed a telecommunication system which projects facial information of a local operater to a remote site. The facial information are measured using a stereo camera system and are projected to the robot used to communicate with another operator in the remote site. The local operator can perceive the remote site via images captured by the camera mounted on the robot's head. The remote operator can also feel the behavior of the local operator from the robot motion. A telecommunication experiment between Tokyo and Nara showed the effectiveness of the facial information used.

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We have standardized RT-Component model in OMG that is international software standardization organization. The RT-Component specification was adopted in OMG on September 2006 as "OMG Robotics Technology Component Specification (OMG RTC Specification)". In this paper, new version of OpenRTM-aist that is based on OMG RTC Specification is implemented, and its new features are presented.

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The RT-Middleware is a software platform for RT-System development. In RT-System development based on the RT-Middleware, the system consists of RT-Components that are modularized RT functional elements. The system development life-cycle often can be iterative process across the whole development phase. In such development process, integrated development environment (IDE) can be an effective tool for system developers. In this paper, we propose the basic RT-Systems development life-cycle and the integrated development environment that consists of a lot of helper tools to realize concurrent development process for RT-systems.

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In this paper, we report our activities of standardization in 0MG; especially the OMG Washington DC Technical Meeting held in December, 2006. The goal of this paper is to start a technical discussion in the robotics and mechatronics community to promote RT-middleware technology (robot systems designed by reusable building blocks) that results in efficient development of complicated robot systems. As a vehicle for the rapid development and diffusion of this RT-middleware technology, we've just started up an international standardization activity on robot technologies. In order to increase interoperability, compatibility and reusability between the various robotic common components, Object Managing Group (OMG) established Robotics Domain Task Force (Robotics-DTF) in December 2005. The Robotics-DTF is looking to begin a dialog with vendors, end users, researchers, robotics organizations and other interested parties to lay the groundwork for a common platform-independent model of robotics software development.

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The instrumented test system and the analysis for a novel tactile sensor are proposed to examine the material characteristic parameters on the basis of the indentation contact mechanics. A conjugate twin-strain-gage attached to the inner surface of a spherical glass-bowl-indenter senses in a differential manner the contact stress distribution beneath the indenter, and then allows to characterize the mechanical properties of the material indented. The conjugate strain gages are utilized for setting the contact point in alignment with the 1st strain-gage. The indentation contact tests are conducted for different materials including brittle ceramics, ductile metals, elastoplastic woods and polymer. The test results suggest the potential applications of this tactile sensor to the mechanical characterizations of materials as well as an alignment of the contact.

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We introduced slipping criteria of finger pad in order to simulate normal load dependency of kinetic friction using finite element method. In our model, critical shear stress is proportional to normal stress raised to the power of n. The constants included in this model were determined from numerical optimization technique that minimizes the error between measured and computed kinetic friction. This model enabled us to simulate normal force dependency of kinetic friction.

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Overload prevention is important for a force sensor in order to avoid fatal damage due to unexpected external forces. Until now, some mechanisms have been proposed which prevent damage of the sensor structure using screw and straight pin. But, there is no report regarding the utility of this mechanism. We proposed a unidirectional force sensor based on the H-slit type parallel beam structure in out previous work. This sensor structure alone can be realized for overload protection with out any other parts and can be embedded as overload protection mechanism in the structure. In this paper, we verify the utility of conventional mechanisms and evaluate the usefulness of the slit type one which we have developed.

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We developed a small piezoelectric vibrator using an ultrasonic resonance of a pin-array. The ultrasonic vibrator consists of a single piezoelectric ceramics and a elastic metal. Tactile stimulation is generated by amplitude modulations of an ultrasonic vibration. In order to make large generative force and vibration amplitude, the ultrasonic vibrator was designed by finite element analysis. The theory of dynamic damper was applied between a pin-array and a bottom plate of vibrator, could get the large vibration amplitude and arranged the vibratory distribution of a pin-array. Finally, we made a prototype of an ultrasonic vibrator and evaluate it.

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We proposed the "Tactile Crawler", it is optical distributed tactile sensor system suited to crawler vehicle robots. To apply a number of tactile sensors to the crawler track, an electric wiring is a big problem because it rotates continuously. The Tactile Crawler senses inclination distribution of shoes by the pairs of a LED and a photo detector attached ou the iuside frame, and estimates contact locations and tangential forces of the crawler. It realizes evaluation of attitude stability and slip rate of crawler on unknown off-road, e.g. rubbles. It also estimates contact shapes and frictional information of its running surface by using kinetic information together. We performed the easy experiment to acquire contact location of the crawler on a step using the Tactile Crawler of prototype, and the availability of the Tactile Crawler was confirmed.

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It is really interesting to know how a blood flow has an influence on tactile sensitivity while moving human fingertip over an environment. In this paper, we examine experimentally how tactile sensitivity is influenced under the condition that the blood flow is interrupted compulsorily by pressing the base link of human finger. Through experiments based on Weber's law, we found that tactile sensitivity improves temporarily with the significance test of 0.1 % when pressing a finger base link. Experimental results also show that there exists a close relationship between the stiffness of fingertip and tactile sensitivity.

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In this paper, we show a method to measure tactile nerve signals on the skin noninvasively. The natural tactile nerve signals generated by mechanical touches are hidden behind thermal noises on the skin. In our method, we observe the tactile signals while synchronizing the firing by electrical stimulation. We expect the power of synchronized nerve signals can exceed the thermal noise. Synchronization is realized simply by stimulating mechano-receptors with electric impulse. After the impulse, the stimulated receptors cannot fire until the refractory period ends. Then all receptors under over-threshold stress are expected to fire simultaneously. As a pilot study, we measured synchronized nerve signal caused by electric stimulation.

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We propose a tactile sensor that is a rectangular rigid body with symmetrically-located stress sensors and embedded in an elastic body. The electrical power for the sensor and signal will be transmitted without wires in the future. The sensor measures six-degree-of-freedom stress tensor in the body and can distinguish between shear and normal stress on the surface of the body. The previously reported tactile sensors can not distinguish these stresses. In paper, we verify the detection principle qualitatively by FEM simulation of two-degree-of-freedom model and we show the result in basic experiments using a prototype.

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In this research, we aimed expanding the coverage of the RT middleware. We propose porting of RT middleware to embedded system, adopting Windows CE. It becomes possible to increase the reusability of software also to various devices. Moreover, by enabling to mount RT middleware on Windows CE, it can be possible to implement RT middleware to more platforms. As the method to mount the RT middleware on Windows CE, we used TAO on the CORBA, mounting part of OpenRTM-aist-0.2.0. We use PDA which Pocket PC 2003 installed in and SH-4 board developed ZMP Company as Hardware, when we implement OpenRTM-aist-0.2.0 to Windows CE.

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Efficient operation of the electric power is necessary for service quality (QoS) maintenance of the robot. Therefore, we need to control the energy consumption and the remaining capacity of battery. In this research, we developed construct the capacity monitoring system for the battery. This system calculates the accurate remaining capacity considering some specific change by the output current, ambient temperature and degradation.

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We are developing Physical Agent System (PAS) that supports daily activity of human. In this PAS, semiautonomous robot, that act as an Agent of remote operator, plays significant role. In this paper, the integration of sensing devices and improving autonomy is proposed and discussed. The proposed design will he implemented to the agent robot, PAR04R.

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Recently, a distributed control system is applied to some robots. We developed a distributed control system using CAN (Controller Area Network) for leg-wheeled type mobile robot IMR-Typel. However, the problem remained when thinking about the change and enhancing the system. In this paper, we describe our proposal about the protocol with a high extendibility for a mobile robot that adjusts distributed control system. The proposed protocol defines the module which has a similar function as module category. And, the systematized message is transmitted to the module category. We report it was confirmed that the mobile robot in which our protocol was mounted operate without trouble.

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This paper describes the learning and reasoning software component developed by RT-Middleware called "OpenRTM-aist0.4.0". It focuses particularly on relative basic technologies, instructions of building component and a system running by using the learning and reasoning component. In addition, this paper is to consider what the software components, such as this learning and reasoning software component, should be in the future of robot system development.

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To analyze grasping, many kind of touch sensors for detecting fingertip contact force are developed. However, feeling of direct touch is usually inhibited in these sensors, since sensor device is placed between a finger pad and a grasped object. To overcome this issue, we estimate fingertip contact force using fingernail strain and a linear regression model that relates contact force and fingernail strain. In this research, we present the overview of the estimation system and estimation algorithm. As a result of validation, the errors in force estimation are turned out to be 10 % in tangential and 20 % in normal direction force.

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In this research, we have developed tactile sensor which aimed to suggest a new method for detection of dynamic and flexible movement. This system is able to measure information of dynamic force by using 3axis acceleration sensor, and also it can detect information of static force by using strain gage. We confirmed to be possible to measure the dynamic and static force by this proto-type. We consider, this flexible tactile sensor has potential to apply for skin sensory of robots or many applications, for example haptic interface and so-on.

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When a small object in a hand-held device moves periodically and prismatically with asymmetric acceleration (strong in one direction and weak in the other), one typically experiences the kinesthetic illusion of pushing or pulling continuously by the held device. This effect was investigated because of its potential application to a hand-held, non-grounded, haptic device that can convey a sense of a continuous translational force in one direction, which is a yet missing tile in haptic research. A one degree of freedom haptic device based on a crank-slider mechanism was constructed. The device converts the single-speed rotational cyclic movement of a motor into asymmetric translational cyclic movement with asymmetric acceleration. We investigated the effect of gross weight of the device for force perception.

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This paper presents the development of flat-type 6-axis force sensor with optical fiber bundles. The sensor principle is that applied force is measured by distribution of input light intensities of receiver side fiber bundle from another side fiber which are faced as inline connected by elastic member, detected by photo-transistor. This principle enable to development of the flat-type 6-axis force sensor.

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A meshstructure tactile sensor series capable of attachment to freeform surfaces with reduced wiring is proposed. These wide purpose tactile sensor series sensing from proximity to contact seamlessly. The measuring principle of these sensors is the same. These sensors also feature high response speeds without requiring software processing. Regarding the wiring for multiple detection elements, internal connection is only required between adjacent detection elements. Also, sensor response speed is almost unaffected by the number, placement, or sensor surface area of the detection elements, and there are only 4 signal wires from the sensor.

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This paper describes design and fabrication of a large sized glass substrate transducer for a novel method to indicate tactile sensation using surface acoustic wave (SAW) tactile display. The design employs the novel method, which has been proposed. The transducer consists of a glass substrate and piezoelectric pieces. Using the transducer, two-dimensional rubbing motion is available. This paper also reports measurement result of speed of a slider under control. The result indicates successful display of roughness sensation based on the tactile display principle proposed by authors.

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We construct the robot system that users operate both robots and environmental sensors in the remote area through the network. We developed the RT components that convert the local area data form to FDC into the FDML form to transmit from . So in this paper, we report the standardization of the data form was tried and confirmed.

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In recent years, large numbers of robots have been developing for various uses. In order to develop various robots efficiently, it is effective to be able to select and build from midst of robot software component . We developed robot software platform "RoboStudio" to provide a mechanism to actualizes the robot component. This paper have described the cooperation subsystem in RoboStudio, which makes the mutual utilization between the components which were made with RoboStudio and the components which were made with RT Middleware.

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Recently, the new approach which is placing the robotics function at the environment is proposed for intelligent robotic system. In this proportion, the robotics function is needed to be normalized specific component. Therefore, we have developed a Scanning Laser Range Finder component by RT-middleware and simple crime prevention system using this component.

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We have developed the RT middleware that operates on DSP for the Image Recognition Module in 2005-2006. This module is developed for image processing in NEDO's project (Development Project for a Common Basis of Next-Generation Robots - Image Recognition Device and Module). In 2006 FY, We have developed the Image Processing API which use the LSI via device-driver, and RT Components that use the API, on the RT middleware. We introduce these APIs and RT Components.

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The stability of the water surface movement mechanism of the water strider is higher than that of the ship etc. Moreover, it is easy for this mechanism to move in the shoal and to turn rapidly. In addition, this mechanism can be moved in both land and water. Therefore, it is desirable to apply this mechanism to a rescue robot and a limited environment exploration robot. In this study, we developed the water strider robot with a servomotor controlled by the remote controller, and discussed fundamental characteristics of the motion patterns.

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In recent years, in the field of bio mechatronics, a robot that imitates a creature's motion has been developed. In this study, we develop the locomotion robot based on snail locomotion. The snail moves by propagation of traveling waves from tail to head. If it is possible to propagate a traveling wave to some directions, an omni-directional mobile robot is realized. Moreover, since locomotion mechanism of the snail has larger area to move than that of other creatures, it is able to move on irregular grounds such as not only swamp but also wall (ceiling). We developed the omni-directional mobile robot using the traveling wave. It is confirmed that the robot can be moved to the some directions by using traveling wave.

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Attention is currently focused on earthworm's locomotion mechanism that is called a peristaltic crawling. The amount of space required by this locomotion mechanism is smaller than that of other locomotion mechanisms. Further, it is possible that the locomotion mechanism move on unleveled ground and inside a tube. But present peristaltic crawling robots can do only straight or passive winding movement in a tube. In this study, we developed the peristaltic crawling robot that can run not only the inside of a tube but also on a plane surface. And it can actively and passively change the direction.

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The butterfly stroke of man's swimming imitates a dolphin, which is excellent in swimming. Therefore, the authors created a swimming humanoid robot which swam like a dolphin. This swimming robot was able to swim in various ways and the operation sequence of servomotors for better swimming was acquired by the particle swarm optimization (PSO). Since fishes can swim skillfully in spite of their simple structure, the velocity distribution of water flow around a real swimming fish has been measured by PIV and analyzed by CFD in order to create new fish robots which can swim like a living fish. A flexible fish robot with 6 motor-string actuators was created and their operation sequence was semi-optimized by the genetic algorithm (GA). Moreover, a wireless-controlled small fish robot with two servomotors was created. It has been shown by PIV measurement that this fish robot with a suitable motor operation sequence generates the reverse Karman vortex street as a real swimming fish does.

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Propulsive force generated by helical screw propellers based on bacterium flagellum was measured. We made a model of a helical screw and calculated the propulsive force produced by the helical screw. This model was made by separating the drift force into the vertical and horizontal direction because in low Reynolds number flow drift force is dominant. We used fifteen helical screws of different diameter and length. We measured the propulsive force of these helical screws by rotating them in glycerin. We also observed the surrounding water in order to measure the relative speed of the water. Measured propulsive force matched with calculated propulsive force by taking the relative speed in count.

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There is an advantage that it is possible to move in the space narrower can the movement by characterizing about the peristaltic motion, and adjusting flexibly in the environment such as unleveled land compared with the movement by the wheel running and the meander of the past. Moreover, it has the feature that it is possible to move even if a part of the metamere doesn't function. In this research, it aims at the development of the peristaltic crawling robot that uses the pneumatic artificial muscle that can be moved by making the best use of these features, and turnabout while running.

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For living beings, the ability that can learn behaviors well-adapted to unknown environments and bodily characteristics is the important to survive in natural environments. Vertebral column makes very important role to generate such behaviors for vertebrates. Compound control is the bio-mimetic control and learning scheme can learn behaviors adapted to environments and bodily characteristics. Robots with bio-mimetic vertebral column mechanisms and controlled by compound control could be possible to move like vertebrates. In this paper, the vertebral column mechanism is proposed. The proposed mechanism has some of similar characteristics with that of vertebrates. The prototype of the proposed mechanisms and the characteristics are shown by the experiments.

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An amusement system using a magnetically driven fish-type microrobot has been developed. The propulsive mechanism of the microrobot includes a magnet and a caudal fin, and can be driven by extemal altemating magnetic fields. Its tuming motion can be easily controlled by the waveform changes of the driving magnetic fields. In this paper, a new control interface, composed of a film and a strain gauge, has been proposed and applied to the tuming motion control.

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We have been proposing Open Robot Controller Architecture as a framework to develop multifunctional robots and systems efficiently. We have also proposed an arm module class structure based on the architecture. In this paper, we propose a wire driven arm controller using the arm module class structure. We utilize this class structure easily to this interference-driven mechanism, because the classes are well divided into a mechanism dependent part and an independent one.

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We have been proposing an action framework for robots based on distributed knowledge base that can receive commands and generally break them down to primitive motion of robots. The framework is based on a general command interpreter and object oriented software environment that supports distributed software development of robots. In contrast to industrial robots, service robots need to know vast variety of objects around them. Thus, service robots program should incorporate all those objects. However, it is usually very difficult because the environment, in which service robots will work, changes every moment. Therefore the distributed software development is very important, and thus we propose a solution.

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Nowadays, developments of so-called "Home-use robot", or "office-use robot" have been very active. The challenges to realize such robots are: (1)navigation in realistic environment, (2)performing multiple tasks,and (3)tradeoff between their performances and costs. One of solutions for these challenges is customizability for each situation like a personal computer. In this paper, sensory data processing middlewares for a mobile robot are proposed, These are SSM for sensor information sharing, OGMM for obstacle detection, and POET for localization. These middlewares abstracts unified information from multimodal external sensors. This paper illustrates design of these middlewares and experimental results using several external sensors.

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To utilize the merit of RT-Middleware, it is important to reduce development time and cost of RT-Component and to increase various RT-Components that everyone can use. So we built the development environment for RT-Middleware. This development environment is based on Eclipse that is Integrated Development Environment for multi-platform such as Windows, MacOS and Linux. And each function consists of various plug-in such as UML modeling tool Pattern Weaver. In this development environment, we can easily perform skeleton generation, assembling and operation check for RT-Component which is executed on OpenRTM-aist-0.4.0. In this paper, we propose a new development environment for RT-Middleware and introduce the details of functionality.

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The influence of a rigid surface and a free surface on the motion of singly flagellated bacteria was investigated. Backward swimming cells tended to gather on a rigid surface while forward swimming cells do not, which had been predicted by a fluid dynamic simulation on asymmetric characteristics between forward and backward motions close to a rigid surface. This tendency was unrelated to the electrostatic charge of the surface. The accumulation of backward swimming cells near a free surface was also confirmed. The trajectory of the cells swimming near a rigid surface comprised circular parts, which corresponded to backward motion. Similar circular parts were observed in the trajectory near a free surface, although they were not proved to belong backward motion. These results may be applicable to self-propelling micro-machines moving close to a surface.

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This paper describes the automatic manipulation system by the motion controlled mas group of Euglena. The group of Euglena was formed by the scanned blue laser beam. Euglena gather around the blue laser by their positive orientation phototaxis. In the previous reports, the transportation of a recutangular plastic film was manipulated by the formation controlled Euglena group. The angle of the object can be controlled by using Euglena group and visual feedback control program. In this report, some two-dimensional plane shaped simple mechanical parts assembly was achieved by Euglena group controlled by the visual feedback control program. The detail will be presented.

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We have been developing oscillating fin propulsion type fish robots. The prototype of these robots is Tuna. The basic construction of this robot is that the rotation of the DC motor was transformed to the vibration of the tail by slider-crank mechanism, and the propulsion force is generated by the deformation of the elastic caudal fin. In this study, a concave curve generation type caudal fin was deve]oped. The structure of this fin is that the deformed shape of the silicone rubber fin was corrected to the concave curve by parallel link mechanism to improve the propulsion efficiency. The detail will he presented.

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We have been developing pectoral fin actuators for artificial fish using rubber structure and FMA (Flexible Microactuator) to realize new propulsive mechanism instead of screw. Under this research project, we developed manta robots driven by FMAs which have two degrees of freedom. Cross section of these FMAs was analyzed by FEM dealing with large deformation / contact problems. And manta robot was analyzed and designed to realize adequate motion. Based on these analytical results, manta robot was developed by the CAD/CAM system of rapid prototyping, and experimented in underwater. From the result of underwater experiment, the manta robot generated 0.18[N] of maximum propulsive force and swam 0.13 [m/s] of maximum propulsive speed.

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Two methods capable of up-down motion have been proposed for a fish-type microrobot. The microrobot has a permanent magnet in the propulsive mechanism and can be driven by external AC magnetic fields. One method for the up-down motion is to apply the AC magnetic field biased with the DC magnetic field. In this method, the magnetic torque acting on the magnet can change the trim of the microrobot. Another method is to change the gravity center position by moving the small weight. This paper describes the principle and performance test of two methods for the up-down motion.

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Since the propulsion mechanism in fluid using elastic fins like caudal fin and pectoral fin of fish is effective, many studies of elastic fin for propulsion in water and development of fish robot using elastic fin were carried out. However, the optimum elasticity of fin is not constant and changed by the movement task and environment, such as swimming speed. It is very difficult to exchange fins of different bending stiffness while moving. Thus, we aimed to develop real-time variable-stiffness fins. As the one of the variable-stiffness-fins, we have developed a fin with variable-effective-length spring. The apparent stiffness of the fin can be changed dynamically. This paper describes measurement of pitching torque of the fin, and efficiency for the thrust force.

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This paper is concerned with plant biomechanics to obtain inspiration from nature. The results of a morphological study on dandelions and those seeds are presented. The growth of the dandelion, Taraxacum officinale Weber, was recorded in the size. Since the seeds are very light in weight and they have flight organs such as pappus, some morphological parameters were measured. Cellular patterns in root of dandelion seeds were observed and the dynamics of such patterns was considered.The design of dandelion is revealed.

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