CIS-RAM 2006 Plenary Session I

Topic: Robotic Technology for Neural Rehabilitation

Speaker:  Dr Joel W. Burdick, California Institute of Technology, USA

Abstract:   This talk will focus on two research efforts that are aimed at developing new robotic technology and algorithms to assist in the recovery of function by patients suffering from neural deficits.
 
The first part of the talk will focus on novel multi-electrode systems that can autonomously position neural recording electrodes inside cortical tissue so as to isolate and then maintain optimal extra cellular signal recording quality. Autonomous micro drives such these can be used to improve the quality and efficiency of acute recordings that are needed for basic research in neurophysiology. They also offer the potential to increase the longevity and quality of chronic recordings that serve as the front end of emerging neuroprosthetic systems that aid the handicapped. The autonomous positioning algorithms and novel miniature robot micro drives will be described. We present data from the use of this technology in monkeys and rats. This part of the talk will conclude with a snapshot of our current efforts to miniature this technology using MEMS fabrication methods.
 
The second part of the talk will focus on the use of robotic devices and drug therapy to recover locomotion after spinal cord injury (SCI). We have developed specialized robotic devices to aid in the step and stand training of spinalized mice models. Coupled with administration of quipazine (a serotonin agonist), we show that the use of these training devices can significantly improve the function of the intact nervous system.

Dr Joel W. Burdick is the Professor of Mechanical Engineering and BioEngineering, California Institute of Technology. He is also the Option Representative for BioEngineering and the Deputy Director of Center for Neuromorphic Systems Engineering. He received his undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering and chemistry from Duke University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.
 
Dr Joel Burdick has been with the department of Mechanical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology since May 1988, where he has been the recipient of the NSF Presidential Young Investigator award, the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator award, and the Feynman fellowship. He has also received the ASCIT award for excellence in undergraduate teaching and the GSA award for excellence in graduate student education. He has been a finalist for the best paper award for the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation in 1993, 1999, 2000 and 2005. He was the plenary speaker at the National Academy of Engineering's annual meeting in 1999. He was promoted to Associate professor with tenure in 1994, and Professor in 2000. He was appointed Professor of BioEngineering in 2002.
 
Dr Joel Burdick's research interests lie mainly in the areas of robotics, kinematics, and mechanical systems. His current research interests include neural prosthetics, rehabilitation of spinal cord injuries, robotic locomotion, sensor based robot motion planning, multi-fingered robotic hand manipulation, and applied nonlinear control theory.

E-mail contact     Homepage

back to main page

CIS-RAM 2006 Plenary Session II

Topic: Humanoid Robotics and Its Applications

Speaker:  Dr Atsui Takanishi, Waseda University, Japan

Abstract:   Even though the market size is still small at this moment, the applied fields of robots are gradually spreading from the manufacturing industry to the others in recent years. One can now easily expect that applications of robots will expand into the first and the third industrial fields as one of the important components to support our society in the 21st century.
 
There also raises strong anticipations in Japan that robots for the personal use will coexist with humans and provide supports such as the assistance for the housework, care of the aged and the physically handicapped, since Japan is one the fastest aging societies in the world. Consequently, humanoid robots and/or animaloid robots have been treated as subjects of robotics researches in Japan such as a research tool for human/animal science, an entertainment/mental-commit robot or an assistant/agent for humans in the human living environment.
 
Over the last couple of years, some manufactures including famous global companies have started to develop prototypes or even to sell mass production robots for the purposes mentioned above, such as SONY, TMSUK, ZMP, TOYOTA, HONDA, Mitsubishi Heavy and etc. Most of those robots have some lifelikeness in their appearances and behaviors. On the other hand, Waseda University, where we belong to, has been one of the leading research sites on humanoid robot research since the late Prof. Ichiro Kato and his colleagues started the WABOT (WAseda roBOT) Projects and developed the historical humanoid robots that are WABOT-1 and WABOT-2 done in the early 70s and 80s respectively.
 
One of the most important aspects of our research philosophy is as follows:
By constructing anthropomorphic/humanoid robots that function and behave like a human, we are attempting to develop a design method of a humanoid robot having human friendliness to coexist with humans naturally and symbiotically, as well as to scientifically build not only the physical model of a human but also the mental model of it from the engineering view point.

Based upon the philosophy, my colleagues and I have been doing researches on humanoid robots, such as the Biped Walking Robots, Emotion Expression Robots, Mastication Robots, Flute Player Robots, Speech Production Robots and etc.
 
In this talk, I will introduce the research philosophy of humanoid robotics, the design concept of the humanoid robots and its applications with the robots mentioned above as examples.

Dr Atsui Takanishi is a Professor of Department of Mechanical Engineering, Waseda University. He is also the concurrent Professor and one of the core members of HRI (Humanoid Robotics Institute, Waseda University). He received the B.S.E. degree in 1980, the M.S.E. degree in 1982 and the Ph.D. degree in 1988, all in Mechanical Engineering from Waseda University. He is a member of Robotics Society of Japan (a board member in 1992 and 1993), Japanese Society of Biomechanisms, Japanese Society of Mechanical Engineers, Japanese Society of Instrument and Control Engineers and Society of Mastication Systems (a major board member from 1996 to current), IEEE and other medicine and dentistry related societies in Japan. He received the Best Paper Award from Robotic Society Japan (RSJ) in 1998, the ROBOMECH Award from RSJ and Japanese Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1998, the Finalist of Best Paper Award in ICRA1999 from IEEE and RSJ in 1999 and the Best of Asia Award from BusinessWeek Magazine in 2001, JSME Distinguished Research Activity Award in Robotics and Mechatronics in 2003, the Best Paper Award - Application in IROS2003 from IEEE and RSJ in 2004, etc.
 
Dr Atsui Takanishi's current researches are related to Humanoid Robots and Cyborgs, such as the biped walking robots for modeling human biped walking as bipedal humanoid robots WABIAN (WAseda BIpedal humANoid) series, the biped locomotors for carrying handicapped or elderlies as WL(Waseda Leg) series, the mastication robots WJ(Waseda Jaw) series to mechanically simulate human mastication for clarifying the hypotheses in dentistry, the jaw opening-closing trainer robots WY(Waseda Yamanashi) series for patients having difficulties in jaw opening and/or closing, the flute playing robots WF(Waseda Flutist) series to quantitatively analyze human flute playing by collaborating with a professional flutist, the upper body humanoid robots WE(Waseda Eye) series which emotionally behave like a human based upon the "Equations of Mind" including emotion, the anthropomorphic talking robots WT(Waseda Talker) series which mechanically speak Japanese vowels and consonant sounds, and the other themes related to his research area. Especially, his latest humanoid robot WABIAN-2 was exhibited in the 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan to demonstrate the knee extended walking using the human-like pelvis and seven DOF leg mechanisms.

E-mail contact     Homepage

back to main page

CIS-RAM 2006 Plenary Session III

Topic: Wireless Sensor Networks

Speaker:  Dr Frank L. Lewis, University of Texas at Arlington, USA

Abstract:   Wireless Sensor Networks represent the next evolutionary development step in environmental monitoring, secure area assurance, intelligent machinery maintenance, and utilities, home, and transportation systems automation. The WSN is an extended and physically disconnected-body system that should, under proper decision-making and control, behave as a single feedback organism. Like any sentient organism, the WSN relies first and foremost on sensory data from the real world. Sensory data comes from multiple sensors of different modalities in distributed locations.
 
The challenges in the hierarchy of: detecting the relevant quantities, monitoring and collecting the data, assessing and evaluating the information, formulating meaningful user displays, and performing decision-making and alarm functions are enormous. The importance of sensor networks is highlighted by the number of recent funding initiatives, including the DARPA SENSIT program, military programs, and NSF Program Announcements.
 
The study of wireless sensor networks is challenging in that it requires an enormous breadth of knowledge from an enormous variety of disciplines. In this talk we outline network topology, communication networks, smart sensors, physical transduction principles, commercially available wireless sensor systems, self-organization, signal processing and decision-making.
 
A unified approach to decision-making, mission programming, task sequencing, and dynamics resource assignment will be presented. Hybrid WSN with combined unattended ground sensors and mobile sentry nodes are included. The proposed approach allows one to program multiple missions into a WSN with the same ease that one today programs a PC. Applications will be discussed including secure area denial, environmental monitoring, and condition-based machinery monitoring. Discussion will be made on adaptive sampling and navigation, sensor localization, and MEMS sensor development.

Dr Frank L. Lewis is the head of Advanced Controls & Sensors Group, Automation & Robotics Research Institute, The University of Texas at Arlington, Texas. He obtained the Bachelor's Degree in Physics/Electrical Engineering and the Master's of Electrical Engineering Degree at Rice University in 1971. He spent six years in the U.S. Navy, serving as Navigator aboard the frigate USS Trippe (FF-1075), and Executive Officer and Acting Commanding Officer aboard USS Salinan (ATF-161). In 1977, he received the Master's of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of West Florida. In 1981, he obtained the Ph.D. degree at The Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, where he was employed as a professor from 1981 to 1990 and is currently an Adjunct Professor. He is a Professor of Electrical Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington, where he was awarded the Moncrief-O'Donnell Endowed Chair in 1990 at the Automation & Robotics Research Institute. He is a Fellow of the IEEE, a member of the New York Academy of Sciences, and a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas. He is a Charter Member (2004) of the UTA Academy of Distinguished Scholars and Senior Fellow of the Automation & Robotics Research Institute.
 
Dr Frank Lewis's current interests include intelligent control, neural and fuzzy systems, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) control, wireless sensor networks, nonlinear systems, robotics, condition-based maintenance, and manufacturing process control. He is the author/co-author of 4 U.S. patents, 162 journal papers, 23 chapters and encyclopedia articles, 239 refereed conference papers, and nine books. He was selected to the Editorial Boards of International Journal of Control, Neural Computing and Applications, and Int. J. Intelligent Control Systems. He served as an Editor for the flagship journal Automatica. He is the recipient of an NSF Research Initiation Grant and has been continuously funded by NSF since 1982. Since 1991, Dr Frank Lewis has received $5 million in funding from NSF and other government agencies, including significant DoD SBIR and industry funding. His SBIR program was instrumental in ARRI's receipt of the SBA Tibbets Award in 1996. He has received a Fulbright Research Award, the American Society of Engineering Education F.E. Terman Award, three Sigma Xi Research Awards, the UTA Halliburton Engineering Research Award, the UTA University-Wide Distinguished Research Award, the ARRI Patent Award, various Best Paper Awards, the IEEE Control Systems Society Best Chapter Award (as Founding Chairman of the DFW Chapter), and the National Sigma Xi Award for Outstanding Chapter (as President of the UTA Chapter). He was selected as Engineer of the year in 1994 by the Ft. Worth IEEE Section and is listed in the Ft. Worth Business Press Top 200 Leaders in Manufacturing. He was appointed to the NAE Committee on Space Station in 1995 and to the IEEE Control Systems Society Board of Governors in 1996. In 1998, he was selected as an IEEE Control Systems Society Distinguished Lecturer. He is a Founding Member of the Board of Governors of the Mediterranean Control Association.

E-mail contact     Homepage

back to main page