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This research investigates the feasibility for the development of a novel 3D collision avoidance system for smart powered wheelchairs operating in a cluttered setting by using a scenario generated in a simulated environment using the Robot Operating System development framework. We constructed an innovative interface with a commercially available powered wheelchair system in order to extract joystick data to provide the input for interacting with the simulation. By integrating with a standard PWC control system the user can operate the PWC joystick with the model responding in real-time. The wheelchair model was equipped with a Kinect depth sensor segmented into three layers, two representing the upper body and torso, and a third layer fused with a LIDAR for the leg section. When using the assisted driving algorithm there was a 91.7% reduction in collisions and the course completion rate was 100% compared to 87.5% when not using the algorithm.

A single thruster attitude and de-orbital control method is proposed, capable of delivering a small spin stabilized probe with payload to the surface of an airless body such as the Moon. Nutation removal, attitude control and fast large angle maneuvers have been demonstrated and shown to be effective using a commercially available single standard cold gas pulse width modulated controlled thruster model. Maximum final impact angle due to drift and residual velocities was found to be less than 5 degrees and the maximum angle of attack to be 4 deg. The conventional 3-axis control would require as many as twelve thrusters requiring a more substantial structure with complex pipework, and a more sophisticated controller. The single thruster concept minimises the mass requirement and thus cost of the mission, making the concept of small networked surface probes for extended science missions more viable. Experiments based on computer simulation have shown that strict design and mission profile requirements can be fulfilled using the single thruster control method.

Autonomous and semi-autonomous smoothly interruptible trajectories are developed which are highly suitable for application in tele-operated mobile robots, operator on-board military mobile ground platforms, and other mobility assistance platforms. These trajectories will allow a navigational system to provide assistance to the operator in the loop, for purpose built robots or remotely operated platforms. This will allow the platform to function well beyond the line-of-sight of the operator, enabling remote operation inside a building, surveillance, or advanced observations whilst keeping the operator in a safe location. In addition, on-board operators can be assisted to navigate without collision when distracted, or under-fire, or when physically disabled by injury.

Assistive robotic applications require systems capable of interaction in the human world, a workspace which is highly dynamic and not always predictable. Mobile assistive devices face the additional and complex problem of when and if intervention should occur; therefore before any trajectory assistance is given, the robotic device must know where it is in real-time, without unnecessary disruption or delay to the user requirements. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel robust method for determining room identification from floor features in a real-time computational frame for autonomous and assistive robotics in the human environment. We utilize two inexpensive sensors: an optical mouse sensor for straightforward and rapid, texture or pattern sampling, and a four color photodiode light sensor for fast color determination. We show how data relating floor texture and color obtained from typical dynamic human environments, using these two sensors, compares favorably with data obtained from a standard webcam. We show that suitable data can be extracted from these two sensors at a rate 16 times faster than a standard webcam, and that these data are in a form which can be rapidly processed using readily available classification techniques, suitable for real-time system application. We achieved a 95% correct classification accuracy identifying 133 rooms’ flooring from 35 classes, suitable for fast coarse global room localization application, boundary crossing detection, and additionally some degree of surface type identification.

Mobile robotic localisation obtained from simple sensor data potentially offers real-time real-world integration. Computationally highly efficient Weightless Neural Networks, when used for location determination, further enhances performance potential. This paper introduces techniques for the identification of rooms or locations in the absence of complex and succinct information. Using simple floor colour and texture, and room geometrics from ranging data, although inherent uncertainties exist, these limited simple fused real-time sensor data can be easily resolved into a room identification criterion using architectures generated by a Genetic Algorithm technique applied to a Weightless Neural Network Architecture.

Human assistive devices need to be effective with real-time assistance in real world situations: powered wheelchair users require reassuring robust support, especially in the area of collision avoidance. However, it is important that the intelligent system does not take away control from the user. The patient must be allowed to provide the intelligence in the system and the assistive technology must be engineered to be sufficiently smart to recognize and accommodate this. Robotic assistance employed in the healthcare arena must therefore emphasize positive support rather than adopting an intrusive role. Weightless Neural Networks are an excellent pattern recognition tool for real-time applications. This paper introduces a technique for look-ahead identification of open doorways and junctions. Simple sensor data in real-time is used to detect open doors with inherent data uncertainties using a technique applied to a Weightless Neural Network Architecture.

Efficient localisation is a highly desirable property for an autonomous navigation system. Weightless neural networks offer a real-time approach to robotics applications by reducing hardware and software requirements for pattern recognition techniques. Such networks offer the potential for objects, structures, routes and locations to be easily identified and maps constructed from fused limited sensor data as information becomes available. We show that in the absence of concise and complex information, localisation can be obtained using simple algorithms from data with inherent uncertainties using a combination of Genetic Algorithm techniques applied to a Weightless Neural Architecture.