Localization,Exploration, and Navigation Based on Qualitative Angle Information

Abstract

Three of the major problems in building autonomous mobile robots are localization, exploration, and navigation. This paper investigates how well different qualitative methods based on angle information, most of them originally invented for representation of spatial knowledge, are suited for addressing these problems. It combines results from discrete and computational geometry with methods from qualitative spatial reasoning, gaining some new insights on the complexity of robot navigation. It turns out that essentially only with panoramas (special roundviews) the qualitative localization problem can be solved in a satisfactory manner. The exploration problem (qualitative map building), remains difficult for all considered approaches.     

The Influence of Landmarks and Pre-exposure to a Structural Map During the Process of Spatial Knowledge Acquisition: A Study with Children and Adults in a Virtual Environment

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of featural information (landmarks) and geometric information (pre-exposure to a structural map) and their possible interaction during the process of spatial knowledge acquisition of 8- and 11-year-old children and adults in a virtual environment. The study confirmed the well-known result of a developmental achievement in spatial cognition from childhood to adulthood. Although landmarks and the pre-exposure to a structural map did not affect the time to learn a specific route, they influenced the use of behavior in spatial learning and eased the acquisition of spatial knowledge measured by a route reversal and map-drawing tasks. Children and adults are able to integrate featural and geometric information in the spatial knowledge acquisition process in an environmental space, but their integration depends on the spatial processing stages that are investigated. Moreover, it was successfully demonstrated that the use of desktop virtual environments seems to be appropriate to investigate the development of spatial cognition.     

地面力学在火星壤力学参数估计研究中的 进展与展望

掌握火星土壤的力学参数是保障火星车顺利完成巡视探测的关键。通过对已成功开展的火星巡视探测任务进行汇总，探讨了复杂火星地貌对火星车移动性能的影响，分析了基于地面力学理论的火星土壤力学参数估计方法，包括：基于车轮的火星壤在轨力学参数估计方法和基于轮壤力学模型的力学参数辨识方法。最后，对未来关于地面力学在星壤力学参数评估进行了探讨。     

Mining Spatial Associations with Limited Sensory Information

Abstract

Human navigation in an unknown environment requires an understanding of the spatial relationships of the terrain. For example, a soldier who is on a reconnaissance mission in a new city needs to “know” the spatial layout of the surroundings with high confidence. Oftentimes, this understanding must be acquired within a very short amount of time and with limited sensory inputs. The soldier would benefit from a digital avatar that draws inferences about the spatial layout of the city based on an initial set of observations and guides the soldier either in further exploring the environment or in making decisions based on these inferences. In this paper, we present and evaluate an inductive approach to learning spatial associations using sensory data that is available from the simulation environment of a computer game, Unreal Tournament. We study two kinds of spatial relationships between nodes on a level of a game map: nodes that are placed near each other to satisfy some spatial requirement and nodes that are placed near each other to satisfy the design preferences of a level architect. We show that we can infer both kinds of relationships using an association rule mining algorithm. Furthermore, we show how to use an ontology to distinguish between these relationships in order to discover different types of spatial arrangements on a specific map. We discuss how the inferred associations can be used to control an avatar that makes recommendations for navigating unexplored areas on a map. We conclude with some thoughts on the applicability of our methods to scenarios in the real world, beyond the simulation environment of a game, and on how the learned associations can be represented and queried by a simple question-answer type system.     

星面探测机器人自主移动技术

为进一步扩大探测范围,提高探测效率,并为后续星面基地建设提供服务,星面探测机器人需从远程地面遥控方式向自主移动方式发展,为此需要解决地图构建、鲁棒定位、探测导航等问题。为推动星面探测机器人自主移动能力的发展,借鉴目前快速发展的无人驾驶技术和地面自主移动技术,归纳总结了目前国内外星面探测移动技术的研究现状和存在的问题,以及地面自主移动研究在地图构建、鲁棒定位、探测导航等方面取得的进展。在结合星面探测应用的特殊性的基础上,提出了未来在长期定位和可变形重建领域开展更深入研究的建议。     

基于激光测距的月球探测重载六足机器人自主避障控制

月面未知环境下具有高承载力的六足移动机器人是月球探测中不可或缺的装备。六足机器人虽然可以借助足地接触信息和姿态信息在不平坦路面行走,在遇到较小障碍物时可以做出适当的反射动作,但当遇到无法逾越的障碍物时,基于视觉信息实现腿式机器人避障运动是非常重要的。针对电驱动六边形对称分布的六足机器人,基于激光测距仪的信息实现了模拟月壤地面的地形建模,提出基于虚拟机体模型的自主避障策略,获得最优可行方向和运动最短距离,规划了实时避障的机体和足端运动轨迹。实验结果表明,六足机器人可以实时、准确地跟踪避障策略得到实时偏航角度,实现了机器人在未知环境下的自主避障运动,为月球探测重载足式机器人研究奠定了基础。     

Qualitative Spatial Reasoning in Interpreting Text and Narrative

Abstract

Simple natural language texts and narratives often raise problems in commonsense spatial knowledge and reasoning of surprising logical complexity and geometric richness. In this article, I consider a dozen short texts—five taken from literature, the remainder contrived as illustrations—and discuss the spatial reasoning involved in understanding them. I conclude by summarizing their common features, and by tentatively drawing some morals for research in this area.     

阵列模型误差条件下稳健的DOA估计算法

为改善阵列误差时高分辨到达方向(DOA)估计算法的性能,引入精确校正的辅助阵元,应用子空间原理,提出了一种均匀线阵存在阵列误差条件下鲁棒DOA估计及方位依赖的幅相误差矩阵和互耦矩阵的估计算法。算法的方位估计无需任何阵列误差信息,估计精度高、分辨力强,且基于信源方位的精确估计,算法还可精确估计方位依赖的幅相误差矩阵和互耦矩阵,实现阵列误差的自校正。算法的运算量较小,无需高维非线性优化搜索,只需一维搜索。仿真结果证明了算法的正确性和有效性。     

On the likelihood of non-terrestrial artifacts in the Solar System

Extraterrestrial technology may exist in the Solar System without our knowledge. This is because the vastness of space, combined with our limited searches to date, implies that any remote unpiloted exploratory probes of extraterrestrial origin would likely remain unnoticed. Here we develop a probabilistic approach to quantify our certainty (or uncertainty) of the existence of such technology in the Solar System. We discuss some possible strategies for improving this uncertainty that include analysis of moon- and Mars-orbiting satellite data as well as continued exploration of the Solar System.     

Integrating local multi-criteria evaluation with spatially explicit uncertainty-sensitivity analysis

The conventional methods of Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) fail to account for local variability in criteria values and criteria preferences, disregarding local influence in spatial decision making. Moreover, understanding the interaction between MCE model input and output has paramount importance in terms of the level of confidence in the model results and their subsequent use in decision making. This research contributes to spatial MCE methodology by articulating the presence of uncertainty included in criteria weights and extending a local MCE technique with a spatially explicit uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. The article presents a methodology for multi-criteria evaluation extended by an integrated uncertainty-sensitivity analysis and illustrates it on the example of a land prioritization model for conservation practices.     

Wayfinding Through Orientation

Dominant approaches in computer-assisted wayfinding support adhere to the deeply problematic principles of turn-by-turn navigation. In this article, we suggest a new approach called “Wayfinding Through Orientation,” which supports the acquisition of spatial knowledge and cognitive mapping for advancing the user’s spatial orientation. Being oriented on one’s way is a prerequisite to enabling people to verify instructions and to incorporate new spatial information into their existing knowledge structure. In three studies described in this article we first present empirical evidence that people can be supported in survey knowledge acquisition through suitable wayfinding instructions. Consequently, we explore orientation information in human wayfinding instructions. Finally, we outline how orientation information can be communicated within a prototypically implemented navigation assistance system.     

航行体垂直发射过程不确定性量化方法的探讨

在发射平台运动、海浪及海流、气水介质突变、空泡溃灭等的影响下,航行体水下垂直发射呈现出干扰因素随机性强、干扰量大、弹道参数变化剧烈等特点。在分析、辨识各种干扰因素的形成机制及组成结构的基础上,建立了描述航行体水下发射过程不确定度的数学模型;介绍了近年来国际上较为热门的不确定性量化研究中的数值方法和进展,主要讨论了基于多项式混沌理论的不确定度量化方法;最后,探讨了未来航行体水下发射过程不确定性量化研究所面临的一些挑战和亟待解决的问题。     

基于无线局域网的多机器人通信接口的研究

介绍用于基于无线局域网的多机器人通信 (Multiple Mobile RobotsCommunication)系统的接口的研究。提出中断式和查询式两种方案 :对这两种方案的原理和服务程序分别加以分析和介绍。并且对这两种方案加以对比 ,给出了查询式通信接口的输入数据速率、误码率和通信距离等参数的实验结果。     

Spatial Thinking Across the College Curriculum: A Report on a Specialist Meeting

This report presents findings from a specialist meeting of spatially-minded researchers and administrators from education and industry to consider prospects for introducing courses and curricula on spatial thinking in higher education. More than 40 participants explored the rationale for expanding student exposure to concepts, tools, and applications of spatial reasoning across a range of science, engineering, and humanities disciplines. The focus was on what we know and what we need to know to make the case for space, underscoring basic research on what is meant by spatial thinking and on variations in the spatial reasoning skills required in different domains of knowledge. The need for rigorous assessments of learning outcomes associated with different approaches to teaching spatial thinking was emphasized.     

Robots and humans: synergy in planetary exploration

How will humans and robots cooperate in future planetary exploration? Are humans and robots fundamentally separate modes of exploration, or can humans and robots work together to synergistically explore the solar system? It is proposed that humans and robots can work together in exploring the planets by use of telerobotic operation to expand the function and usefulness of human explorers, and to extend the range of human exploration to hostile environments.     

Egocentric frames of reference used for the retrieval of survey knowledge learned by map and navigation

Two experiments are reported that use a ``point-to-unseen-targets' task to study the role of egocentric reference frames in the retrieval of survey knowledge learned from either studying a map or navigating an environment. In Experiment 1, performance was generally consistent with the hypothesis that map knowledge is retrieved using a frame of reference centered on the eye, characterized by (a) a fixed orientation in a ``frontal representational plane' and (b) equal access to spatial relations both in front of, or above, and behind, or below, a right-left retrieval axis. The results of Experiment 2 were consistent with the hypothesis that environment knowledge is retrieved within a frame of reference centered on the body, characterized by (a) flexible orientation within a ``transverse representational plane' and (b) privileged access to spatial relations located in front of the right-left retrieval axis in representational space. Both types of knowledge function as if they preserve information about the Euclidean angles connecting elements in physical space.     

Gesture in Spatial Cognition: Expressing,Communicating, and Thinking About Spatial Information

Do hand gestures play a role in spatial cognition? This paper reviews literature addressing the roles of gestures in (1) expressing spatial information, (2) communicating about spatial information, and (3) thinking about spatial information. Speakers tend to produce gestures when they produce linguistic units that contain spatial information, and they gesture more when talking about spatial topics than when talking about abstract or verbal ones. Thus, gestures are commonly used to express spatial information. Speakers use gestures more in situations when those gestures could contribute to communication, suggesting that they intend those gestures to communicate. Further, gestures influence addressees' comprehension of the speech they accompany, and addressees also detect information that is conveyed uniquely in gestures. Thus, gestures contribute to effective communication of spatial information. Gestures also play multiple roles in thinking about spatial information. There is evidence that gestures activate lexical and spatial representations, promote a focus on spatial information, and facilitate the packaging of spatial information in speech. Finally, some of the observed variation across tasks in gesture production is associated with task differences in demands on spatial cognitive processes, and individual differences in gesture production are associated with individual differences in spatial and verbal abilities. In sum, gestures appear to play multiple roles in spatial cognition. Central challenges for future research include: (1) better specification of the mental representations that give rise to gestures, (2) deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which gestures play a role in spatial thinking, and (3) greater knowledge of the sources of task and individual differences in gesture production.     

空间目标的光散射研究

从太阳辐射理论出发，介绍了漫反射目标的地面光照度计算公式。在高斯随机面元统计散射模型的基础上，提出了目标表面为随机粗糙平板面的空间目标散射太阳光产生地面光照度的散射计算模型。利用该模型计算了风云一号卫星的地面光照度，并与把卫星表面看作朗伯表面计算得到的地面光照度进行了比较。结果表明，把卫星表面看作漫散射体得到的地面照度值要比把卫星表面看作随机粗糙表面得到的地面照度值大。