SBIR Phase I: Personal Service Robotics with Tiered Human-in-the-Loop Assistance

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目为个人服务机器人提出了一种方法和新的算法。认识到，在非结构化环境中，自主机器人还不足以可靠地执行完整的任务，并且完全的手动远程操作是工具劳动密集型的，该方法将自主操作与人工辅助结合在分层的人在环框架中。在所有级别上，当发生意外或异常事件时，自主性将请求帮助。例如，在高层次上，用户可能被要求识别对象或调整计划。在较低的层次上，用户可以被要求远程控制机器人的末端-载体来解开一个楔形的物体。自动化将集中在最常见的任务组件上，包括运动规划，物体抓取和简单的刚性环境操作。主要的创新来自(a)这些领域的极限感知自主设计，在需要时要求人工干预；(b)多层次的人工辅助后备方案，在严重故障或复杂情况下需要更多的参与。第一阶段将展示操作员在非工业环境中协助机器人完成个人服务任务。第二阶段将为支持多个机器人的操作员并行化，乘法e^ect显示了总体劳动力节省。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力包括加速机器人在非结构化环境中的部署，扩大个人机器人服务市场，超越单一用途的自主设备，以及增加老年人日常生活中的家庭辅助。随着人口结构向老龄化转变，我们面临着体力劳动的严重短缺，尤其是非技术工作。这将影响o；老年人口的日常工作变得越来越繁重，但他们也可能找不到合适的服务人员。允许操作员协助机器人执行个人服务任务可以提高这种劳动的生产率，并比传统上可能的提供更多的个人服务。与此同时，客户显然已经准备好投资机器人技术。作为参考，即使是今天高度受限的个人和家用机器人也创造了12.8亿美元的全球市场。人工服务机器人将极大地扩展这一市场，并为运营商服务和基础设施创造市场。提供个人机器人服务将带来降低劳动力成本和提高生产率的直接好处，同时还能让老年人在熟悉的住房中养老，并保持更大的独立性。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes a methodology and novel algo-rithms for Personal Service Robotics. Recognizing that, in unstructured environments, autonomous roboticsalone is not yet reliable enough for performing complete tasks, and complete manual teleoperation is toolabor intensive, this approach combines autonomous operation with human assistance in a Tiered Human-in-the-Loop framework. At all levels, the autonomy will request help when unexpected or anomalous eventsoccur. For example, at high levels the user may be asked to identify objects or adjust plans. At the low levelthe user may be asked to remote control the robot end-e^ector to unstick a wedged object. Automationwill focus on the most frequent task components, including motion planning, object grasping, and simplerigid-environment manipulation. The major innovations arise from (a) the design of limit-aware autonomyin each of these areas, requesting human intervention when needed and (b) multi-tiered human-assistedfallback options that necessitate greater involvement for severe failures or complex circumstances. Phase Iwill demonstrate an operator assisting a robot completing personal service tasks in non-industrial environ-ments. Phase II will parallelize for an operator supporting multiple robots, with the multiplicative e^ectdemonstrating overall labor savings.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes accelerating the deployment of robotsin unstructured environments, extending the market for personal robotic services beyond single-purposeautonomous devices, and increasing access to in-home assistance in daily living for an aging population.With demographics shifting to an older population, we face a major shortage of manual labor, particularlyfor unskilled work. This will impact the o;ce and home environments, and dramatically a^ect the olderpopulation for whom daily tasks become increasingly burdensome, but also for whom appropriate serviceworkers may not be available. Allowing an operator to assist robots performing personal service tasks canincrease the productivity of such labor and perform greater personal service than traditionally possible.Meanwhile, customers are clearly ready to invest into robotic technology. For reference, even today's highly-limited personal and home robots created a $1.28 Billion global market. A human-in-the-loop personal servicerobot will greatly expand that market, as well as create markets for operator services and infrastructures.Delivering personal robotic service will have the immediate bene ts of reduced labor costs and increasedproductivity, while also allowing older adults to age in familiar housing and retain greater independence.