AITEC Contract Research Projects in FY1998 : Software

(15)Development of Cooperative Robot Programming Language System

Principal Investigator :	Fumio Mizoguchi

Development of Cooperative Robot Programming Language System

[Features of the Software]

Compiler of Multiagent Robot Language : MRL This compiles a MRL program to the associated KL1 program which can be also compiled by the KLIC system. MRL allows us to specify a set of agents that realize intelligent robots. MRL helps design and implement collaborative robots. MRL integrates control, planning, and negotiation functions to agentify these objects as robotic agents. It represents an evolution of concurrent logic programming languages, wherein the behavior of an agent is declaratively specified within guarded Horn clauses, and communication and concurrency between agents can be easily described. By providing built-in stream communication facilities, MRL enables the specification of various negotiation patterns using broadcast and incomplete messages, and handles emergent events based on priority clause selection.
Communication management system for infrared sensors This manages a set of sensors embedded into the celling for the smart office environment. Each infrared sensor is connected with each other through LON network developed by Echelon company. The sensors are connected to the Internet also through a gateway named WebIO. The management system monitors the states of the infrared sensors and sends the state information to all robotic agents implemented in MRL.
Navigation system based on camera robots This supports localization and navigation of mobile robots. The system detects the position of a mobile robot by image processing, and navigates the robot to a desired position accurately.
User-interface to request a service This is a human-interface to request a service, such as print delivery and document delivery, to the robot system. It is implemented in Java so as to access the system through a Web browser.

[Required Environment]

Compiler of Multiagent Robot Language : MRL machine : UNIX machine The environment that KLIC runs.
Control System of Infrared Sensors machine: UNIX machine OS : Solaris The environment that Java1.1 runs. Need of infrared sensor connected LON network developed by Echelon company Need of gateway WebIO for connecting LON network with workstation.
Guidance System using Camera Robot machine: UNIX machine OS : Solaris The environment that Java1.1 runs. The environment that C runs. Need of Camera Robot and Video Board
User Interface machine: UNIX machine OS : Solaris The environment that Java1.1 runs.

[File Configuration]

Compiler     MRL Compiler
     +------ mrlCompiler.kl1    The MRL Compiler
     +------ util.kl1           The utility 
     +------ Sample             Sample programs

MultiAgent  Multiagent System
     +------ office_system.mrl  Main system program
     +------ environment.kl1    Environment information
     +------ util.kl1           The utility 
     +------ RobotServer        Control programs for real robots

Infrared    Control System of Infrared Sensors
     +------ SensorChangeServer.java   Control system of infrared sensors
     +------ Sensor.java               Control system of the WebIO

Guide       Guidance System using Camera Robot
     +------ Guide           Guide system
     +------ CameraClient    Camera robot client
     +------ CameraServerr   Camera robot server
     +------ Image           Analyze image

Interface   User Interface
     +------ Server  User Interface for Server
               +----  Server.java       Main program
               +----  KlicChannel.java  Connecting program with KLIC systems
               +----  KlicReader.java   Receiving program from KLIC systems
               +----  KlicSender.java   Sending program to KLIC systems
               +----  Channel.java      Communication program with Java systems
               +----  server.html       The html file
               +----  media2.gif        The Map of Media Center
     +------ Client  User Interface for Client
               +----  PrinterClient.java   Client system for print delivery
               +----  DeliveryClient.java  Client system for document delivery
               +----  Client.java          Client program
               +----  printer.html         The html file for print delivery
               +----  delivery.html        The html file for document delivery
               +----  media2.gif           The Map of Media Center

Doc        User's Manual

[FTP]

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