Monday, December 28, 2009

機器人陪老人購物 Robovie II helps out with shopping



Robovie2係由日本京都市「國際電氣通信基礎技術研究所」(ATR)的智慧機器人部門研製。銀髮族先在家裡以行動裝置輸入所需商品清單,傳送到超市內的機器人系統主機,主機再將清單無線傳輸給Robovie2。

 到達超市時,Robovie2會叫出長者姓名並上前迎接,陪伴對方一起進入購物區。長者可將購物籃掛在Robovie2的手上,它會依購物清單引導長者到物品所在處,也會跟長者聊要買的東西,譬如「蜜柑好好吃喔,我也想吃一個」。


Monday, December 21, 2009

辨識科技/人臉辨識 搞定刑案、門禁、金融



虹膜辨識不是靠顏色,而是靠紅外線辨識虹膜的紋理,目前這種辨識系統多由需要高安全的機構使用,原因與受專利保護、設備比較貴等有關。

虹膜直徑只有1公分,取樣時需要被取樣者配合,有的機器只需被取樣者站在設定處,0.3秒就能確認身分,更精密的,每秒可認出上萬人。

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=227514

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

[EM330] RC Servo five axis test for PIC24FJ128GB106



By NYUST, Robotic Embedded System Lab

Saturday, November 28, 2009

爬樓梯掃地機器人


機器人也能自己爬樓梯掃地!電機系師生團隊,歷時半年研發製作「家用樓梯除塵機器人」-雷米度(Let Me Do),能自己上樓梯清掃,首次參加「全國微電腦應用系統設計製作競賽」,在大專組與研究所組第一名都從缺下,榮獲大專組「機器人與自動機具類」第二名。

Thursday, November 12, 2009

New Zealands Robotic Firefighter

Robot comes to aid of fire crew at depot blaze


Firefighters enlisted the help of a robot to dramatically reduce the time spent dealing with a fire at a Wokingham industrial estate.

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service used the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to handle the acetylene cylinder at Toutley Depot in Old Forest Road, which had caught fire while a worker used it for welding.

Standard operational procedure would have meant a 200-metre cordon being set up for 24 hours, which would have meant closing Toutley Depot, the A329 and evacuating some residents.

The fire crew was called to the incident at 12.45pm on Thursday, September 24.

By sending the ROV into the workshop the crews could receive vital information about the incident without putting themselves in danger.

The ROV has in-built specialist tools, including a thermal imaging camera and filming equipment, which allows firefighters to assess the situation from a safe distance.

The ROV found the cylinder was cool and operators then turned off the valve using a spanner attached to the robot.

Station manager Jess James, from Caversham Road station, said: “Using the ROV meant that we could deal with the incident in around three-and-a-half hours, rather than the 24 hours it would traditionally take.

“This not only means that the premises could be handed back to the owners in a shorter space of time, but also that fire crews are freed up more quickly and are available to attend other incidents.”

http://www.getwokingham.co.uk/news/s/2058394_robot_comes_to_aid_of_fire_crew_at_depot_blaze


中華電信一號 減火機器人


中華電信一號 減火機器人

中華電信一號 減火機器人

記者陳美文/南市報導
 中華電信台南營運處規劃設計科楊佳璋成功開發出「中華電信一號」,這是國內第一部透過網際網路防災滅火的機器人,可搭載三至廿磅不同廠牌尺寸的滅火器,在火勢尚未釀成大災難或消防人員未抵現場前先撲滅火勢,並將全程錄影救火過程,作為追查線索研判肇事主因。
 楊佳璋表示,目前坊間所有的災害監控系統,都是透過定點式監視器來監看現場,「中華電信一號」防護機器人,可從相距數百公里甚至更遠的監控中心,以網頁作為人機介面操控中華電信一號,再利用中華電信一號上的影像設備,傳回毫無時差的火場現況。
 換言之,監控人員只要坐在監控中心,透過網路就可指揮機器人進行救災工作,而且機器人在滅火後可由監控中心人員操控回定點自動充電,不用再派人員到現場充電或更換電池。
 除了工地監控,災難現場救援之外,具有「移動性的動態視訊」特性的中華電信一號,也適用於居家老人看護的應用,由於居家老人的狀況多,不管在哪個角落,中華電信一號都可以發揮靈活的移動監視功能,確實掌握現場狀況。
 中華電信這項創新的研究成果,預計將於五月在台南市舉辦中華電信全區防火防災演習中正式發表,宣導更新的科技生活概念。
 

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

[New Book] Visual Servoing Control Based Three-Dimensional Tracking: Theory, Algorithms, Practicalities


Visual Servoing Control Based Three-Dimensional Tracking: Theory, Algorithms, Practicalities (Paperback), Chao-Ching Ho (Author)

Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing (October 22, 2009)
Language:
English
ISBN-10:
3838305353
ISBN-13:
978-3838305356
Product Dimensions:
8.7 x 5.9 x 0.2 inches

Find it on Amazon, or Books on Demand.

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

從SPIE Optics and Photonics 2009探討數位光學及3D影像處理技術

TOF Camera近年又被稱為3D Camera,屬於一種Depth-sensing技術,此種Camera利用主動式照明對待測場景發射一參考光束,藉由計算回光的時間差或相位差來換算 場景中物體的距離,並產生一深度地圖資訊(Depth Map)。一般來說,會有另一組傳統的Camera拍攝該場景,以同時獲得二維影像與第三維的深度資訊。
詳細資料 -> http://www.materialsnet.com.tw/DocView.aspx?id=8108

Friday, September 11, 2009

OpenCV 1.2 beta, the installation package for Windows

  1. CXCORE now uses Lapack (CLapack 3.1.1.1 in OpenCV 2.0) in its various linear algebra functions (such as solve, invert, SVD, determinant, eigen etc.) and the corresponding old-style functions (cvSolve, cvInvert etc.)
  2. FAST - the fast corner detector, submitted by Edward Rosten
  3. LDetector - fast circle-based feature detector by V. Lepetit
  4. Added dense optical flow estimation function
  5. Most of the new linear and non-linear filtering operations
  6. There is now uniform interface for capturing video from two-, three- ... n-head cameras.

Monday, August 31, 2009

Stair Climbing Robot


會解數獨的樂高機器人

Friday, August 28, 2009

Robot fish (機器魚) Introduction

Robotics Department at the University of Essex by Prof. Huosheng Hu
  1. 於西班牙Gijon水質監控 (西班牙北方的海域中,用來研究海裡的污染程度)
  2. 測試水中溶氧量,
  3. 偵測河中的原油洩漏或其他汙染源,
  4. 機械魚就會游到河表面並無線傳輸(透過WiFi)將資料送到港口控制中心,
  5. 機械魚電池電力將近用罄時,它就會導航游回電力站充電,
  6. 可以模仿真實魚群的游行模式,
  7. 造價約美金29,000,
  8. Keynote speech on 2009 IEEE International Conference on Electronic Measurement & Instruments 。


NHK video of Japanese robot fish

[Reference] http://www.robotic-fish.net/

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

[EM330] How to convert PWM signal to DAC voltage?

[Purpose]
當你想要控制馬達Driver的速度時,你需要輸入0~5V的訊號給Driver(電壓愈高,馬達轉愈快),可是PIC16或PIC18只有PWM信號輸出,沒有低速的DAC (高速的DAC須外掛 SPI , I2C等界面的晶片)?
[Solution]
  1. 使用R-2R電阻電路,如圖,最簡單。
1.jpg
2. 使用OP +RC。
2.jpg
[Reference]

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

石川小室研究所的機器人快手


http://www.k2.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/index-j.html

Sunday, July 26, 2009

桌上型機器人鎖螺絲機 精度高


可台公司新推出桌上型機器人鎖螺絲機,擁有多項特點,使用XY TABLE鎖付螺絲,精度高,操作簡單,採用液晶教導盒操作,可視XY座標數值,程式記錄容量大,至少可存99組,每組4,000點,重覆精度高 (±0.02mm),鎖付範圍內(300×300mm),可同時擺放多個工件,且一位工作人員可同時操作多台鎖付機,採用氣吹式,將螺絲吹至夾頭前端,可 以迅速鎖付,無需浪費其他位移時間,因為沒有回程吸取螺絲,所以比氣吸方式快1倍鎖付時間以上,並具有滑牙檢知功能,所以可以檢知螺絲是否鎖付完成,該機 台為投資最少,效率最高,回收最快,鎖付螺絲的利器。
工商時報【台中訊】

Friday, July 03, 2009

Thursday, July 02, 2009

[Robotics & Machine Learning] New analytical science findings from C.C. Ho and co-authors described

Robotics & Machine Learning



New analytical science findings from C.C. Ho and co-authors described


2009 APR 20 - (VerticalNews.com) -- According to a study from Taiwan, "This paper proposes a novel real-time machine video-based flame and smoke detection method that can be incorporated with a surveillance system for early alerts. Automatic monitoring systems use the motion history detection algorithm to register the possible flame and smoke position in a video and then analyze the spectral, spatial and temporal characteristics of the flame and smoke regions in the image sequences."

"The spectral probability density is represented by comparing the flame and smoke color histogram model, where HSI color spaces are used. The spatial probability density is represented by computing the flame and smoke turbulent phenomena with the relation of perimeter and area. Statistical distribution of the spectral and spatial probability density is weighted with the fuzzy reasoning system to give the potential flame and smoke candidate region. The temporal probability density is represented by extracting the flickering area with level crossing and separating the alias objects from the flame and smoke region. Then, the continuously adaptive mean shift (CAMSHIFT) vision tracking algorithm is employed to provide feedback of the flame and smoke real-time position at a high frame rate," wrote C.C. Ho and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: "Experimental results under a variety of conditions show that the proposed method is capable of detecting flame and smoke reliably."

Ho and colleagues published their study in Measurement Science & Technology (Machine vision-based real-time early flame and smoke detection. Measurement Science & Technology, 2009;20(4):45502).

For more information, contact C.C. Ho, National Yunlin University Science & Technology, Dept. of Mech Engineering, Yunlin 64002, Taiwan.

Publisher contact information for the journal Measurement Science & Technology is: IOP Publishing Ltd., Dirac House, Temple Back, Bristol BS1 6BE, England.

Keywords: Emerging Technologies, Fuzzy Logic, Machine Learning, Machine Vision, Measurement Science.

This article was prepared by VerticalNews Robotics & Machine Learning editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, VerticalNews Robotics & Machine Learning via VerticalNews.com.

Monday, June 22, 2009

How to open comport COM10 and above in WINDOWS XP

Details

I cannot power on my virtual machine if it is configured with serial port COM10 or greater. What is wrong?

Solution

Virtual machines can be manually configured to use a host operating systems COM10 serial port or greater by performing the following steps:
  1. For the moment, ports above COM10 are not named COM10. They are named \\.\COM10 and so on. Except that some drivers use names like USB port 1 for all ports. Don't forget to double \ chars when inside quotes. E.g. "\\\\.\\COM10"

  2. Manually edit the virtual machine's configuration file (.vmx on Windows hosts, .cfg on Linux hosts). Change the following line from:
    serial0.fileName = "COM10"

    to
    serial0.fileName = "\\.\COM10"

  3. Power on the virtual machine to verify the COM10 serial port is operational.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

PR2 robot to autonomously open doors

Friday, May 01, 2009

Static LED control

Using the LED control with the Visual C++ 2008 is very easy and interesting, please refer to the following link to see how it works.

(A)Sample Image - DigiStatic.gif(B)Sample Image - StaticCounter.gif (C)Sample Image - CStaticTime.gif (D)

Sample Image - LEDScreen.gif (E)Sample Image - HardwareSupport.jpg

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Solve the porting UNICODE from VC6 to VS2008



Some MS functions i.e, GetPrivateProfileInt or GetCurrentDirectory, may fail to compile if porting from VC6 to VS2008. The reason is the VS2008 is using the UNICODE as default setting. The solution is by changing the system setting options from "Use Unicode Character Set" replacing with "Use Multi-Byte Character Set".

Thursday, April 23, 2009

How to import dialogs or resources from one project to another?

Assume you have two projects - Project1 and project2 and you want to copy one dialog from Project1 to Project2. Just follow the steps -

For Visual Studio 6.0
1) Load project2 workspace in visual studio.
2) Now Browse and load Project1’s rc file. While opening resource file, select “Open As” as “Resources”.

3) Now drag your required dialog from project1’s resource tree and drop it to your resource tree.

4) You’ve successfully copied dialog from one project to another!

For Visual Studio 2005 and siblings
1) Open your IDE without any solutions loaded.
2) open both RC files into the IDE.
3) Now take Project2 RC file, right click on the dialog you want to export and copy it.

importdialog1

4) Now take Project1 RC file, right click and paste.

importdialog2

5) You see, now the dialog is imported from project1 to Project2.

importdialog3

Well, special thanks to Mike and Alan for their contribution for the trick in Visual Studio 2005.


You could also edit the rc file in some text editor and can copy paste the dialog if you’re a geek.
Original link

Monday, April 20, 2009

vista網路芳鄰共用XP

  1. XP下載KB922120:連結層拓撲探索 (LLTD) 回應程式
  2. XP網路芳鄰點又見→內容→區域連線→右鍵內容→點安裝→通訊協定→NWLINK IPX/SPX NetBIOS 開頭的點下去安裝。
  3. 若有norton的internet security的話,一定要關掉防火牆。
  4. 在vista端使用管理者帳戶登入控制台->系統管理工具->本機安全性原則->本機原則->安全性選項->網路安全性:LanManagers驗證層級點進去後選擇"傳送LM和NTLM-如有交涉,使用NTLM v2工作階段安全性。
  5. 參考vista跟xp的網路芳鄰共用

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Speed Up Your Computer by Clearing System Memory

Whenever you feel that the system is sluggish you can double click on this shortcut and it will take care of the idle tasks by removing them. Check the link for how "Speed Up Your Computer by Clearing System Memory".

Monday, April 06, 2009

日本機器娃娃 能記憶母親表情

小娃娃雙腳垂在椅子上,肩膀隨著呼吸起伏,房間裡一有動靜,他的黑眼珠立刻轉過去。它不是真的娃娃,但正在注意你。

在這個日本最精密機器人的柔軟矽膠皮膚下,處理器記錄並評估各種訊息。這個高130公分、重33公斤的小型機器人CB2可以像人類嬰兒一般的學習。

這個長得彷彿真人的兒童機器人代號CB2。研究人員說,它會根據與人類之間的互動,注視人類表情變化及模仿小嬰兒與母親之間的關係,慢慢發展社交技巧。

大阪大學教授淺田稔表示:「嬰兒會的事情很少,但很會學習。」

研究團隊正試著讓機器人像個小嬰孩一般,評估母親的各種表情,將這些表情整合成幾個基本類別,例如高興和悲傷。這個研究,集合機器人工程師、人腦研究專家、心理學家與其他領域的專業人士,由日本的行政法人「科學技術振興機構」贊助。

淺田表示,在CB2的淺灰色橡皮皮膚之下,有197條壓力感應器,可以辨識人類的觸感,它的眼睛也裝有攝影機,會錄下表情變化,記住後就尋找搭配的身體感受,送到電路板上。

淺田2007年推出CB2,此後技術不斷進步。他表示,這2年來,CB2已經藉著人類協助,自行學會走路,現在可藉由氣壓驅動的51條「肌肉」,平穩的在室內移動自如。

淺田希望未來的科技可以創造一種「機器人類」,擁有介於人類與黑猩猩等靈長類之間的學習能力。他也希望CB22年內會講基本字句,達到2歲小孩的智慧水準。

【聯合報╱國際中心/法新社日本吹田5日電】



Monday, March 23, 2009

台日智慧型機器人發展趨勢與應用商機研討會

比較有趣的講者是石黑浩(Ishiguro, Hiroshi)教授,題目是"為了瞭解人類的機器人研究 ",提出的變動方程式很有趣,並整合心理學,人類學於機場與人機互動的行為研究。

Monday, March 16, 2009

Monday, March 09, 2009

A Stereo Vision Demo video 2

A Stereo Vision Demo video 1

Monday, March 02, 2009

新一代地圖機器人

地圖機器人雖然已經問世許久,每每將到過的地方製成地圖、掃進「腦袋」後,卻還是會遇到一個小問題:只要有一點小改變(像是多了一個路人、少了一台腳踏車 的小改變),機器人就完全不認得路了!如今,在英國牛津大學研究人員的努力下,它們終於能藉由文字的幫助,擺脫掉路盲毛病。

現在的地圖機 器人,除了把到過的地方拍下存證之外,還會用文字把所看見的東西、物品紀錄下來(每兩秒鐘最多可以輸入一千個字),形成「字庫」,比方說看見一台腳踏車, 就會在腳踏車的字庫中,加入車胎、車墊、車頭、車把、煞車等關於腳踏車的單字,就會將來要是重回舊地,即使發現少了一台腳踏車,也能連回字庫中,辨識出 「只」是少了一台腳踏車,而不是少了一個車胎、車墊、車頭、車把、煞車,然後為了這點「小改變」而不認得路。目前這種新一代地圖機器人已經在牛津 1,000公里內開始「認路」,要是完成的話,將會是目前為止規模最大的機器人版地圖。

有興趣的人,可以觀賞下一頁自動播放的說明影片!
[原文連結/編譯:Judy]

Monday, February 23, 2009

日本逼真機器魚 和真魚無異



日本北九州市立大學國際環境工學系的山本郁夫教授,耗費多年心血研發的機器鯛魚,就讓眾人難以相信優游於眼前的鯛魚,居然是條機器魚,而且當它在魚群中活動時,魚兒也都把它當作自家人,絲毫沒有受到驚擾的樣子。

游姿流暢自然

日 本「每日新聞」二十一日報導,現年四十八歲的山本自一九八○年代後期投入機器魚的研發,後於一九九五年推出第一代機器鯛魚,去年七月終於完成游水姿態流暢 自然的第三代機器鯛魚。第三代機器鯛魚長八十公分、重七公斤,魚鱗等外觀以矽膠材質製成,尾鰭加裝的機器關節,可進一步提升機器鯛魚的瞬間爆發力,整體動 作也更流暢自然。

由於機器鯛魚的動作非常逼真,「和機器鯛魚放在一起游水的魚兒都沒發現異狀,表現跟自然狀態時一樣」。山本表示:「機器魚的噪音低,可在不驚擾魚群的情況下進行海洋調查。」

一般潛水調查機器利用螺旋槳推進時,可能勾纏到海藻等異物,若使用搭載攝影機的機器鯛魚,就能避免這樣的危險,廣泛調查各種海洋資訊。

NASA有興趣合作

山 本現正運用機器鯛魚的研發成果,進一步投入機器魟的研究,據說機器魟的外型能夠大幅降低水阻力,可能達到如同鯊魚或海豚般的高速游水速度。山本也說:「流 暢的尾鰭動作技術,還能運用於醫學外科精密儀器或太空作業用機器人等研發工作。」美國國家航太總署(NASA)也注意到山本的研究,日後雙方或許有機會合 作。

〔自由時報編譯鄭曉蘭/綜合報導〕



Essex University 所研發出的電子魚



Wednesday, February 04, 2009

專利期限

  1. 根據大陸《專利法》第45條規定,發明專利的期限為20年,實用新型和外觀設計專利權的期限為10年,均自申請日起算。
  2. 依臺灣專利法規定,發明、新型、新式樣專利均自核准公告之日起給予專利權,其屆滿之期限為發明專利權自申請日起算20年,新型專利權期限自申請日起算10年,新式樣專利權期限自申請日起算12年。
  3. 美國專利 1995 年 6 月 8 日後申請的「發明專利」申請案,專利期為實際申請日起算 20 年。「新式樣專利」的專利期為專利獲准日起算 14 年。

Thursday, January 15, 2009

早稻田大學開發出機器人“TWENDY-ONE”




日本早稻田大學機械工學實驗室研製的機器人「Twendy-One」,14日以靈巧的手指拿起一根吸管。這款精密細緻的機器人係由菅野重樹博士所領導的團隊所研發,主要目的是希望能幫助行動不便的年長者。