Realization of Robotic Space System to Support Human Activity

本研究的目的是实现这样一个机器人环境，可以观察和理解人类的活动，并根据观察结果适当地支持他们。机器人环境是指以各种机器设备围绕在人类周围进行观察和支持的机器人空间系统。这些机器设备协同工作。在本研究中，具体建立了多机协同构建人类活动支持系统的核心问题——多机联网。合作、理解和支持的整合证实了所提出的人类活动支持空间系统的可行性和有效性。研究结果如下：首先，即使是没有网络接口的普通机器或设备也可以与系统连接并协同工作，因为系统可以直观地观察和监控空间内的人和机器。其次，在构建的空间系统中，传感器和执行器的配置和空间分布。由于人类不能漂浮也不能飞行，他们只能在地面上进行二维移动。因此，可以安排传感器和执行器，使其不干扰人类的活动，适当地理解和支持它们。第三，行为在系统与人之间的沟通中起着重要的作用。理解功能和支持功能都以行为为主要媒介。该系统是基于行为表达的分布式协作系统。

The aim of this research is to realize such robotic environment that is possible to observe and understand human activity and support them properly based upon the observation. The robotic environment is constructed as a robotic space system that surrounds humans with various machines and equipments for the observation and the support. These machines and equipments work cooperatively.Networking of those machines, which is the most essential issue to construct human activity support system as multiple cooperative machines, is established in this research concretely. Integration of the cooperation, understanding and supporting confirms both feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed human activity support space system.Results obtained through the research are as follows. Firstly, even ordinary machines or equipments without network interface are possible to connect with the system and work collaboratively because the system visually observes and monitors both humans and machines within the space. Secondly, in the constructed space system, sensors and actuators are equipped and spatially distributed. Since humans cannot float nor fly, they are bound to floor and move two dimensionally. Therefore it is possible to arrange the sensors and actuators so that they don't disturb humans activity, understand and support them properly. Thirdly, behavior plays an important role for communication between the system and human. Both understanding function and supporting function utilize behavior as key medium. The system works as a distributed cooperative system based on behavior expression.