I was a PhD student in the computer science department at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. There
are several branches of robotics research being explored in the department,
mostly within the
Intelligent Robotics Group, one of the largest robotics groups in the
UK.
This page is pretty much as it was in September 2000 when I left
the department, so some of the links may not work. It's on my 'to do'
list, but I thought I might as well put it up until then.
The Robot Lab
Most work took place in our robotics laboratory which has just been
refitted. It contains a large arena for our mobile and flying robots,
and safety cages for our industrial arm robots and equipment.
Industrial Robots
The lab contains three cages for four industrial 'arm' robots - three Adepts
and a Puma. We used these robots both for teaching the robotics and AI modules of
the degrees offered by the department (including computer science and
software engineering) and for various research projects.
Photos of 'exciting' arm robots:
Mobile Robots
The robot lab contains a large arena for the operation of our mobile
robots, which come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and varying states
of mobility...
- Lego robot - Myra uses this
for her behavioural work. It likes to play with the car robot
- Car robot
- another robot with a rubbish name. This is basically a
radio controlled car that isn't controlled by radio, but with a
little microcontroller called a Stamp.
Mark is in charge of this
more than anyone else
- Robbie - a robot with a name, which is just as well as it's a sort
of ugly looking PC on wheels. It can trudle around quite happily
with its huge batteries and convincing whirring noises.
Mark built it, but I've
ended-up using it most, so I guess it's sort of under my
protection
- Cripple bot - this is another Stamp-based robot built by
Mark. It's basically a
perspex disk with a couple of servos that waddle along in a
sorrowful manner.
- Altair
- this is our flying robot, which uses the arena in so far as it sort
of floats over it. This is
Andy and Phil's baby
All of our robots are always
under development, but are still used
for teaching in robotics/AI courses. We have some other robots knocking about
somewhere too.
For more information on mobile robot research here, take a look at my
colleagues pages:
My Work
My research involves complex communication between multiple agents using
a fairly complicated set protocol. The system as a whole will be able to
adapt to perform tasks in the best way in a more or less autonomous way.
I'll put some more details here when I've had enough time to write something
reasonably intelligent about it. In the meantime, I've put some fairly
useful robotics links here for you to look at.
We're all chums here in the department, and we even manage to talk to
each other when he don't have to. One result of this is the
formation of the
AI Reading Group, which is where we discuss all aspects of AI, as well as
what was on telly last night. I'm also in the
Intelligent Robotics
Group, of course, although that's all a bit more serious and mature.
What vital research am I doing right now? It's bound to be just part of the
PhD game! A quick read of
Mr Postgrad would be pretty
informative ;)
FAQs and whatnot
Homepages of robotics people
- Karl Altenburg,
North Dakota State University
- Rodney Brooks,
MIT, robot God
- G. Dudek, Centre
for Intelligent Machines, McGill Univeristy, Montreal
- Jean-Claude Latombe,
Stanford, CA
- Cynthia
Farrell, MIT. Cynthia has worked with Hannibal and Attila (legged
mobile robots). She has also worked with Cog.
- Alex
Ferworn - primary investigator of autonomous
agents at the University of Guelph's Natural Selection Research group
- Anita Flynn,
Berkeley. Anita wrote 'Mobile Robots: Inspiration to Implementation'.
- Ian Horswill heads the
Autonomous Mobile Robots Group at Northwestern UNiversity, Illinois
- Deepak
Kumar I work on Belief-Desire-Intention architectures. This
research falls in the realm of Artificial Intelligence. The task is to
build models of rational cognitive agents that are endowed with
beliefs, desires, and intentions
- Liana Lorigo, MIT.
Liana has worked on autonomous vision-based navigation, using Pebbles.
- Pattie Maes,
MIT. Pattie directs the Software Agents Group at MIT
- Maja Mataric,
University of Sothern California. Maja sudies interaction dynamics between
agents. She as addtional Web
pages at Brandeis University, MA
- James
McLurkin, Berkeley. James was involved in microrobotic research at
MIT.
- Paul Viola, MIT.
Paul is part of the learning and vision group at MIT
-
Sandy Wells, Harvard. Sandy works in computer vision wit medical
images
- Kevin Warwick doesn't have a homepage AFAIK, but here's an
interview with him
- Here's Myra Wilson, UWA. My
supervisor.
- Holly Yanco, MIT
- Peter Stone works with
layered multi-agent systems
Homepages of active robotics groups
Mobile Robot Simulators
- MOBS
- 'Mobile
Robot Simulator' (original name!) It's in Spanish, so you may
wish to use Babelfish
- Mr Robot,
a toy-like applet rather than something meaty
-
RoboDaemon - seems to be quite simple. Direct control only, with
no easy way to program a control system that I can see. A good example
of sonar simulation though
- FLAT 2-D
- seems to provide a nice simulation of a simple world with walls. The robots
can use sonar and laser rangefinders. Control systems talk to the simulator
over sockets
- The Rossum's Playhouse
robot simulator is written in Java and has a nice GUI
- Cyberbotics make Webots.
This is a very nice (visually) simulator, but it doesn't seem to be free
like the others
- MARS
looks like it might be useful, but I can't find a link to download
it!
- Igor is a
good example of an applet-based simulator
- The Netmaze Robot
Simulator was developed from a game, so it has nice 3D graphics
-
Labot is another Java applet simulator
-
SimRobot is a complicated but nice looking piece of 3D simulation
software
Web Controllable Robots
Interactive C
Robot Wars
RoboSoccer/Robo Cup
Robot OSs
Some general robotics links, for interest
Electronics
Robot, Parts and Accessory Suppliers
Stuff to buy
- Gecko systems make the 'CareBot'
that will care for sick people, hoover the house, etc
- Maplin are great for all sorts of
electronic wotsits
- RS are similar
- Farnell are another component distributer
that you can use over the Web
- HVW Technologies
- Arrick Robotics make some cool robots
and parts
- Ben's Electronic Bulk Buy
Homepage
- Normadic make some nice robots too
- 80/20, Inc. Manufacturers of the
Industrial Erector Set
- AAA Industrial Robot Store Integrator
of turnkey welding robotic workcells from robot manufacturers such as Panasonic
and Nachi. The AAA Industrial Robot Store's philosophy with every robot and
robotic system we sell: Keep It Simple
- Adept Technology, Inc. Rapid Deployment
Automation
- Advanced Design, Inc. (ROBIX sets)
robot construction sets
- ADVANCED ORIENTATION SYSTEMS, Inc.
(AOSI) Tilt Sensors
- AM Research has specialized in
embedded control systems since 1978. We make Single Board Computer (SBC's)
as well as complete development systems. All of our products run amrFORTH
- Amerinex Artificial Intelligence
Using the Image Understanding Architecture and Knowledge Based Reasoning to
Recognize Vehicle Types from Multisensor Data
- Andrew Corporation Gyroscope
and Navigation Systems
- Angelus Research Corp. Controller
based on the Triune Brain
- Animats are artificial animals, either
built of machinery or simulated
- Antenen Research maintains an inventory
of new and reconditioned robots and automation equipment
- ASA Automation Systems Designers, Manufacturers
and Builders of Custom Automation and Robotic Work Cells for Science and Industry
- Azure Automation Inc.
AutomationNET is an information
forum for anyone who makes automation products, integrates automation systems,
needs automated systems or for anyone who just wants to learn more about the
automation industry
- BENCHMARQ Microelectronics, Inc.
battery management integrated circuits
- Binzel Pty. Ltd. Robotic
Peripheral Equipment
- Bohdan Automation
Laboratory Robotics
- California Cybernetics multiprocessors,
force sensors, grippers, autonomous robots, motor controllers etc
- CERA Research robotics
provides Internet information on Embedded Systems, DSP, Real-Time Computing,
and Industrial Computing Issues
- Coalition for Intelligent Manufacturing
Systems and A-CIMS: Academic Coalition
for Intelligent Manufacturing Systems
- CW Technology offering fun
and innovative electronic kits - including the new Handyboard from Fred Martin
at MIT
- Cybermation continues development
of the SCK-2000 Motion Control System, to make it an affordable alternative
for most company's Engineers and Tool Designers to use without overly taxing
departmental budgets
- Cybermotion is a supplier of
autonomous mobile robots
- Cybernet Systems is a second generation
robotics technology company which amplifies human performance through network
and information services, sensors and robotics
- DEEM Controls Inc. Industrial
Encoders and Sensors
- Dinsmore Instrument Company
Digital & Analog Compass Sensors
- Directed Perception, Inc. manufactures
devices and software for the intelligent control of sensors and sensor processing
- E-LAB Digital Engineering,
Inc. Manufacturing and supporting a microcontroller board using the PIC
16C57 microcontroller
- EFJ Devices Robotics
Lab
- ELEKIT CO. Explore the
fundamentals of robotics with these robot kits. Requiring only basic hand
tools (Beginner and Intermediate Experience), the kits contain complete step-by-step
instructions
- Future-Bot Components
Robotics and Component catalogue
- HelpMate Robotics Inc. sells
HelpMate robots primarily to hospitals for trackless, self-guided transportation
and delivery of materials for many departments within healthcare institutions
- Honeywell Industrial Automation
& Control
- ICON Open Architecture Controller/Manufacturing
Operating System Center for Manufacturing and Robotics Sciences
- Intelligent Solutions Incorporated
(ISI) Flagship product is the EZNAV Position Sensor which can be used
on moving platforms such as automated guided vehicles, robots, or material
handling equipment, as the primary navigation sensor
- IS Robotics, Inc. is a manufacturer
of autonomous mobile robots, robotic systems, and software for control of
embedded systems
- International Submarine Engineering (ISE)
Group of Companies robotic vehicles and robotic manipulators for land,
space, and marine applications
- INUKTUN SERVICES LTD. is a designer
and manufacturer of remotely operated robotic systems and modular components
for use in confined spaces and hazardous environments
- JOKER Computer Systems and Robotics,
Stuttgart Germany is concerned with the development and distribution of
inexpensive Mobile Robots for Teaching and Research as well as for hobby use
- Kinetic
Sciences Inc. (KSI) is committed to providing technology innovation,
research services and product development in the field of advanced robotics
for operation in hazardous or menial environments
- K-Team is a company founded in 1995
by research engineers of the Microcomputing Laboratory (LAMI) of the Swiss
Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL) who formed a mobile robotics
research group in 1992
- LYNXmotion Robotic Arm Kit
- Charlotte (TM) Intra-Vehicular
Robot
- mecos Robotics AG specialises
in sensor guided robot systems
- Mondo-tronics
Muscle Wires - Electric Piston - Robotics Projects - Space Wings
- Motorola Microcontroller
This system operates from the Microprocessor facility in Austin, Texas to
provide Technical information, Marketing information, and executable files
for Motorola Microcontrollers to anyone with Internet access
- National Semiconductor Corporation
- Network Cybernetics Corporation
The AI CD-ROM Revision 3
- Ontrak Control Systems
manufactures serial based data acquisition boards for industrial, educational
and electronic hobbyist use
- Parallax, Inc. Makers of PIC
development tools and the BASIC Stamp series of single board computers
- The parvus Corporation was founded
in 1983 to provide engineering services in product design and development
- PRECARN Associates Inc. and IRIS
(the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems) are your link to
research in the field of Intelligent Systems in Canada
- Precision MicroDynamics Inc. - Analog and
Electronic Hardware for Robotics
- Ray's Robotic Racers Hobby
Computers at a Hobby Price
- Real World Interface, Inc. has been
manufacturing mobile robots for ten years
- Robosoft can provide OEMS, integrators
and end-users with products and services in mobile robots and intelligent
vehicle design
- Robot Simulations Ltd, developers of
the Workspace PC based robot simulation and offline programming software and
the Robotrak calibration device
- Robot Store Mondo-tronics' Robot Store
web site featuring over 100 actual robot kits, books, software packages and
videos, as well as Muscle Wires® shape memory alloys, and lots of other great
robot related hardware, electronics, even sculptures
- ROBOTECH INDUSTRIES LTD. HazHandler
- Robotic Systems, Inc. Mobile robot
parts, kits and platforms, including kits for building a low-cost Nitinol-based
walking robot
- RoboNews! The Latest
News and Information about Mobile Robots and the Mobile Robot Industry
- Allen Bradley - Motion Control Division
- Rockville Creative Learning,
Inc. Movit® & Owikit(TM) Educational Electronic Robot Kits
- Solarbotics
The BEAM Robotics Resource
- SRI International,
Inc. Robotics
- Supercircuits microvideo products
- Teleos Research and Technology Development
in Intelligent Perception and Control
- Tower Hobbies radio-control
(R/C) products
- Ublige Software & Robotics'
Insecta
- ZAYTRAN Robotic Grippers
- Zilog Z86E04/E08 CMOS
Z8 ® OTP MICROCONTROLLERS
- Zorin Microcontroller Products
(BOTBoard Kits)
- Zymark Corporation laboratory automation
and robotics
Basic X
Have a look at Basic X - it's like
a STAMP but a bit cooler
STAMP stuff
Software to Download
- Grab a copy of TeamBots (used to be JavaBots) by Tucker Balch and his
chums at Georgia Tech. from
TeamBots site
- Real Time Battle is
a bit of fun, but can actually be used as quite a good robot simulation
environment
- BT have written the
Zeus Agent Building Toolkit. This is more for software agent applications
than robotics, but it's pretty cool. It's written in Java too, so it should
run anywhere
Usenet
comp.robotics.research archive
