NAO Robot

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the main reasons for low uptake of robots in special education (SE), obtained from an analysis of previous studies that used robots in the area, and from interviewing SE teachers about the topic.
Design/methodology/approach
An analysis of 18 studies that used robots in SE was performed, and the conclusions were complemented and compared with the feedback from interviewing 13 SE teachers from Spain and the UK about the reasons they believed caused the low uptake of robots in SE classrooms.
Findings
Five main reasons why SE schools do not normally use robots in their classrooms were identified: the inability to acquire the system due to its price or availability; its difficulty of use; the low range of activities offered; the limited ways of interaction offered; and the inability to use different robots with the same software.
Originality/value
Previous studies focussed on exploring the advantages of using robots to help children with autism spectrum conditions and learning disabilities. This study takes a step further and looks into the reasons why, despite the benefits shown, robots are rarely used in real-life settings after the relevant study ends. The authors also present a potential solution to the issues found: involving end users in the design and development of new systems using a user-centred design approach for all the components, including methods of interaction, learning activities and the most suitable type of robots.

—This final task is about the roles and applications of humanoid robots as robots are capable of social interaction, such as human movements and it can assist humans in everyday life. This social robot or Nao robot can recognizes the voice of a man who later became the voice command to run the programs. Voice command is already stored in the database first. Programs that run in the form of movements and sound that serves as a medium of education and leisure because of the direct feedback given to the user Nao. As a medium of education, Nao will teachs Taichi movements so that the user will be interested to follow it. And also Nao gives recreation, guesses and story telling as well as the expression of a movement and sound when there is a command from the user, so it will make Nao looks more attractive. Nao will gives the information of time as a time schedule. So, besides it gives the time informations it also will givethe schedules.

— This article presents a complete formulation of the challenging task of stable humanoid robot omnidirectional walk based on the Cart and Table model for approximating the robot dynamics. For the control task, we propose two novel approaches: preview control augmented with the inverse system for negotiating strong disturbances and uneven terrain and linear model-predictive control approximated by an orthonormal basis for computational efficiency coupled with constraints for stability. For the generation of smooth feet trajectories, we present a new approach based on rigid body interpolation, enhanced by adaptive step correction. Finally, we present a sensor fusion approach for sensor-based state estimation and an effective solution to sensors' noise, delay, and bias issues, as well as to errors induced by the simplified dynamics and actuation imperfections. Our formulation is applied on a real NAO humanoid robot, where it achieves real-time onboard execution and yields smooth and stable gaits.

Humanoids; a most intriguing subject to behold by both the engineers and the world at large. With the introduction of humanoid robot NAO by Aldebaran-Robotics in 2008, a performant biped robot is now available and affordable for research laboratories and the mass market. In this paper, an exploration of current trends in control methods of biped walks, behavior interface tools for motion control for NAO and imminent findings in both research areas are discussed. Future directions are for researchers to devise a unique controller with low power consumption without compromising the robot's speed and robustness.

In Mexico, educational programs have been using an out of date teaching methodology, where students' only work is to listen to the professors' lessons without having practical applications or hands-on experience, thereby provoking a decrease in student attention span, motivation and boredom with learning processes. This work proposes the use of robotic platforms inside elementary schools and universities to improve and evaluate the usability and effectiveness of robots on students' attention spans, motivation and knowledge acquirement during their classes. With the purpose of evaluating the learning process of undergraduate students, a hexapod robot was used throughout a basic programing course to help the students learn about robotics programing and path planning algorithms. At the end of the course, several surveys were given to the students to evaluate their perceptions about the course and the use of the robotic platform. In the elementary school, a NA0 Robot was used to give students four different diligences in physics, mathematics and physical education classes. During these experimentations, the attention span of the students and their ability to use the robotic platforms were observed, using a behavior observation protocol; also, their knowledge acquisition before and after class was evaluated. The results showed that the use of a robotic platform in class helps the students improve their knowledge acquisition and increases their motivation and attention span. Also, the surveys and usability analysis demonstrate that the design of the diligences and course projects were sufficient to generate a greater interest among the students in the topics taught in school.

In this paper, we introduce an integrated approach that enables a humanoid robot to plan and robustly execute whole body motions including stepping over, climbing up or down obstacles as well as climbing up straight staircase using only onboard sensing. Reliable and accurate sequence of motions for humanoid robots operating in complex indoor environments is a prerequisite for robots to fulfill high level tasks. The design of complex dynamic motions is achievable only through the use of robot kinematics. Based on the recognized object from the robot database, using the robot camera, a sequence of actions for avoiding that object is executed. As demonstrated in simulation as well as real world experiments with NAO humanoid, NAO can reliably execute robustly whole body movements in cluttered, multi-level environments containing objects of various shapes and sizes.

In the present study, 64 users were asked to convey eight distinct emotion to a humanoid Nao robot via touch, and were then asked to evaluate their experiences of performing that task. Large differences between emotions were revealed. Users perceived conveying of positive/pro-social emotions as significantly easier than negative emotions, with love and disgust as the two extremes. When asked whether they would act differently towards a human, compared to the robot, the users' replies varied. A content analysis of interviews revealed a generally positive user experience (UX) while interacting with the robot, but users also found the task challenging in several ways. Three major themes with impact on the UX emerged; responsiveness, robustness, and trickiness. The results are discussed in relation to a study of humanhuman affective tactile interaction, with implications for human-robot interaction (HRI) and design of social and affective robotics in particular.

In the present study, 64 users were asked to convey eight distinct emotion to a humanoid Nao robot via touch, and were then asked to evaluate their experiences of performing that task. Large differences between emotions were revealed. Users perceived conveying of positive/pro-social emotions as significantly easier than negative emotions, with love and disgust as the two extremes. When asked whether they would act differently towards a human, compared to the robot, the users' replies varied. A content analysis of interviews revealed a generally positive user experience (UX) while interacting with the robot, but users also found the task challenging in several ways. Three major themes with impact on the UX emerged; responsiveness, robustness, and trickiness. The results are discussed in relation to a study of human-human affective tactile interaction, with implications for human-robot interaction (HRI) and design of social and affective robotics in particular.

The overall context proposed in this paper is part of our long-standing goal to contribute to a group of community that suffers from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); a lifelong developmental disability. The objective of this paper is to present the development of our pilot experiment protocol where children with ASD will be exposed to the humanoid robot NAO. This fully programmable humanoid offers an ideal research platform for human-robot interaction (HRI). This study serves as the platform for fundamental investigation to observe the initial response and behavior of the children in the said environment. The system utilizes external cameras, besides the robot's own visual system. Anticipated results are the real initial response and reaction of ASD children during the HRI with the humanoid robot. This shall leads to adaptation of new procedures in ASD therapy based on HRI, especially for a non-technical-expert person to be involved in the robotics intervention during the therapy...

With all the developments in information technology (IT) for people with disabilities, few interventions have been designed for people with profound and multiple disabilities as there is little incentive for companies to design and manufacture technology purely for a group of consumers without much buying power. A possible solution is therefore to identify mainstream technology that, with adaptation, could serve the purposes required by those with profound and multiple disabilities. Because of its ability to engage the attention of young children with autism, the role of a humanoid robot was investigated. After viewing a demonstration, teachers of pupils with profound and multiple disabilities described actions they wished the robot to make in order to help nominated pupils to achieve learning objectives. They proposed a much wider range of suggestions for using the robot than it could currently provide. Adaptations they required fell into two groups: either increasing the methods through which the robot could be controlled or increasing the range of behaviours that the robot emitted. These were met in a variety of ways but most would require a degree of programming expertise above that possessed by most schoolteachers.

Despite the rapid advances in technology relatively few are focused on special education, or the education for people with profound and multiple disabilities. One of the main causes for this to happen is that there is little incentive for companies to design and manufacture technology for a target group of customers without major buying power, or one that makes up a relatively small proportion of the population. Therefore, the most reasonable option is to take the technological tools that are already available, and adapt them to meet the requirements of those with profound and multiple disabilities. This paper presents the design and development of an application for mobile devices that will enable easy and intuitive use of the humanoid robot NAO (manufactured by Aldebaran Robotics) by people with profound and multiple disabilities, as well as by educators in the area of special education. This includes also the adaptation and development of several behaviours and modules for this specific robot.

Previous interventions have proven that the use of robots in Special Education (SE) is beneficial for children, producing an increase in engagement and goal achievement. However, the use of robots rarely continues after the relevant study ends. In this paper we analyse previous studies that used robots in SE and interviews with SE teachers to obtain their views regarding reasons for lack of uptake of this technology. We propose a solution based on the use of a user-centred design approach for all components of the system, including methods of interaction, learning activities, and the most suitable type of robots.

Contemporary humanoids are equipped with visual and LiDAR sensors that are effectively utilized for Visual Odometry (VO) and LiDAR Odometry (LO). Unfortunately, such measurements commonly suffer from outliers in a dynamic environment, since frequently it is assumed that only the robot is in motion and the world is static. To this end, robust state estimation schemes are mandatory in order for humanoids to symbiotically co-exist with humans in their daily dynamic environments. In this article, the robust Gaussian Error-State Kalman Filter for humanoid robot locomotion is presented. The introduced method automatically detects and rejects outliers without relying on any prior knowledge on measurement distributions or finely tuned thresholds. Subsequently, the proposed method is quantitatively and qualitatively assessed in realistic conditions with the full-size humanoid robot WALK-MAN v2.0 and the mini-size humanoid robot NAO to demonstrate its accuracy and robustness when outlier VO/LO measurements are present. Finally, in order to reinforce further research endeavours, our implementation is released as an open-source ROS/C++ package.

Contemporary humanoids are equipped with visual and LiDAR sensors that are effectively utilized for Visual Odometry (VO) and LiDAR Odometry (LO). Unfortunately, such measurements commonly suffer from outliers in a dynamic environment, since frequently it is assumed that only the robot is in motion and the world is static. To this end, robust state estimation schemes are mandatory in order for humanoids to symbiotically co-exist with humans in their daily dynamic environments. In this article, the robust Gaussian Error-State Kalman Filter for humanoid robot locomotion is presented. The introduced method automatically detects and rejects outliers without relying on any prior knowledge on measurement distributions or finely tuned thresholds. Subsequently, the proposed method is quantitatively and qualitatively assessed in realistic conditions with the full-size humanoid robot WALK-MAN v2.0 and the mini-size humanoid robot NAO to demonstrate its accuracy and robustness when outlier VOLO...

In the present study, 64 users were asked to convey eight distinct emotion to a humanoid Nao robot via touch, and were then asked to evaluate their experiences of performing that task. Large differences between emotions were revealed. Users perceived conveying of positive/pro-social emotions as significantly easier than negative emotions, with love and disgust as the two extremes. When asked whether they would act differently towards a human, compared to the robot, the users' replies varied. A content analysis of interviews revealed a generally positive user experience (UX) while interacting with the robot, but users also found the task challenging in several ways. Three major themes with impact on the UX emerged; responsiveness, robustness, and trickiness. The results are discussed in relation to a study of human-human affective tactile interaction, with implications for human-robot interaction (HRI) and design of social and affective robotics in particular.

Technological innovations have resulted in the production of new, super‐high‐tech assistive robotic devices that improve the development of children with atypical development. The theoretical basis for this study was the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model, which consists of four main constructs that directly determine user acceptance and user behavior: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. The purpose of the study was to understand the rationale behind the acceptance of robot‐mediated teaching and therapy for children with atypical development by Polish professionals. Participants included 245 professionals recruited from the staff of special centers and schools for children with disabilities in the south of Poland. They were first presented with a video demonstration of the humanoid Nao robot and then given a 31‐item questionnaire that estimates UTAUT. Participants' attitudes towards using the Nao robot in teaching and therapy for children with atypical development were positive. However, these attitudes were found to be a weak albeit significant predictor of behavioral intention to use the Nao device. They were significantly predicted by social influence, effort expectancy, and performance expectancy. The results are discussed in the context of the general theoretical background and the latest findings related to professionals working with disabled children. Correlation and structural modeling analyses confirmed the applicability of the UTAUT model in education and care for children with disabilities. However, behavioral intention was weakly related to positive attitudes towards Nao robot in this Polish sample. Forthcoming questions follow the conclusions of the current study.

In this paper, an approach to whole body motion planning for humanoid robots using only onboard sensing is presented. Reliable and accurate motion sequence of motions for humanoid robots operating in complex indoor environments is a prerequisite for robots to fulfill high-level task. The design of complex dynamic motions is achievable only through the use of robot kinematics, which is an application of geometry to the study of arbitrary robotic chains. A sequence of actions for avoiding obstacles including, step over actions, as well as step onto/down actions is presented. As demonstrated in simulation as well as real world experiments with NAO humanoid the validity of the approach is examined and evaluated.

In this paper, we introduce an integrated approach that enables a humanoid robot to plan and robustly execute whole body motions including stepping over, climbing up or down obstacles as well as climbing up straight staircase using only onboard sensing. Reliable and accurate sequence of motions for humanoid robots operating in complex indoor environments is a prerequisite for robots to fulfill high level tasks. The design of complex dynamic motions is achievable only through the use of robot kinematics. Based on the recognized object from the robot database, using the robot camera, a sequence of actions for avoiding that object is executed. As demonstrated in simulation as well as real world experiments with NAO humanoid, NAO can reliably execute robustly whole body movements in cluttered, multi-level environments containing objects of various shapes and sizes.

This article presents a complete formulation of the challenging task of stable humanoid robot omnidirectional walk based on the Cart and Table model for approximating the robot dynamics. For the control task, we propose two novel approaches: preview control augmented with the inverse system for negotiating strong disturbances and uneven terrain and linear model-predictive control approximated by an orthonormal basis for computational efficiency coupled with constraints for stability. For the generation of smooth feet trajectories, we present a new approach based on rigid body interpolation, enhanced by adaptive step correction. Finally, we present a sensor fusion approach for sensor-based state estimation and an effective solution to sensors' noise, delay, and bias issues, as well as to errors induced by the simplified dynamics and actuation imperfections. Our formulation is applied on a real NAO humanoid robot, where it achieves real-time onboard execution and yields smooth and stable gaits.

With all the developments in information technology (IT) for people with disabilities, few interventions have been designed for people with profound and multiple disabilities as there is little incentive for companies to design and manufacture technology purely for a group of consumers without much buying power. A possible solution is therefore to identify mainstream technology that, with adaptation, could serve the purposes required by those with profound and multiple disabilities. Because of its ability to engage the attention of young children with autism, the role of a humanoid robot was investigated. After viewing a demonstration, teachers of pupils with profound and multiple disabilities described actions they wished the robot to make in order to help nominated pupils to achieve learning objectives. They proposed a much wider range of suggestions for using the robot than it could currently provide. Adaptations they required fell into two groups: either increasing the methods through which the robot could be controlled or increasing the range of behaviours that the robot emitted. These were met in a variety of ways but most would require a degree of programming expertise above that possessed by most schoolteachers.

In the present study, 64 users were asked to convey eight distinct emotion to a humanoid Nao robot via touch, and were then asked to evaluate their experiences of performing that task. Large differences between emotions were revealed. Users perceived conveying of positive/pro-social emotions as significantly easier than negative emotions, with love and disgust as the two extremes. When asked whether they would act differently towards a human, compared to the robot, the users' replies varied. A content analysis of interviews revealed a generally positive user experience (UX) while interacting with the robot, but users also found the task challenging in several ways. Three major themes with impact on the UX emerged; responsiveness, robustness, and trickiness. The results are discussed in relation to a study of human-human affective tactile interaction, with implications for human-robot interaction (HRI) and design of social and affective robotics in particular.

This paper presents a case study demonstrating the integration of the humanoid robotic platform Nao within a Network Robot System (NRS) application. The specific scenario of interest takes place in a smart home environment; the task being that of bringing a can of soda from a fridge to a human user. We use this concrete scenario to evaluate how the performance of such a robot can be affected by being embedded inside an intelligent domestic environment. This study points out that, by cooperating with different components on the network the overall performance of the robot is increased.

In the present study, 64 users were asked to convey eight distinct emotion to a humanoid Nao robot via touch, and were then asked to evaluate their experiences of performing that task. Large differences between emotions were revealed. Users perceived conveying of positive/pro-social emotions as significantly easier than negative emotions, with love and disgust as the two extremes. When asked whether they would act differently towards a human, compared to the robot, the users' replies varied. A content analysis of interviews revealed a generally positive user experience (UX) while interacting with the robot, but users also found the task challenging in several ways. Three major themes with impact on the UX emerged; responsiveness, robustness, and trickiness. The results are discussed in relation to a study of humanhuman affective tactile interaction, with implications for human-robot interaction (HRI) and design of social and affective robotics in particular.

This letter presents a novel cascade state estimation framework for the three-dimensional (3-D) center of mass (CoM) estimation of walking humanoid robots. The proposed framework, called State Estimation RObot Walking (SEROW), fuses effectively joint encoder, inertial, feet pressure, and visual odometry measurements. Initially, we consider the humanoid's Newton–Euler dynamics and rigorously derive the nonlinear CoM estimator. The latter accurately estimates the 3D-CoM position, velocity, and external forces acting on the CoM, while directly considering the presence of uneven terrain and the body's angular momentum rate and, thus, effectively coupling the frontal with the lateral plane dynamics. Furthermore, we extend an established floating mass estimator to take into account the support foot pose, yielding in such a way the mandatory, for CoM estimation, affine transformations and forming a cascade state estimation scheme. Subsequently, we quantitatively and qualitatively assess the proposed scheme by comparing it to other estimation structures in terms of accuracy and robustness to disturbances, both in simulation and on an actual NAO robot walking outdoors over an inclined terrain. To facilitate further research endeavors, our implementation is offered as an open-source ROS/C++ package.

Contemporary humanoids are equipped with visual and LiDAR sensors that are effectively utilized for Visual Odometry (VO) and LiDAR Odometry (LO). Unfortunately, such measurements commonly suffer from outliers in a dynamic environment, since frequently it is assumed that only the robot is in motion and the world is static. To this end, robust state estimation schemes are mandatory in order for humanoids to symbiotically co-exist with humans in their daily dynamic environments. In this article, the robust Gaussian Error-State Kalman Filter for humanoid robot locomotion is presented. The introduced method automatically detects and rejects outliers without relying on any prior knowledge on measurement distributions or finely tuned thresholds. Subsequently, the proposed method is quantitatively and qualitatively assessed in realistic conditions with the full-size humanoid robot WALK-MAN v2.0 and the mini-size humanoid robot NAO to demonstrate its accuracy and robustness when outlier VO/L...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the main reasons for low uptake of robots in special education (SE), obtained from an analysis of previous studies that used robots in the area, and from interviewing SE teachers about the topic. Design/methodology/approach An analysis of 18 studies that used robots in SE was performed, and the conclusions were complemented and compared with the feedback from interviewing 13 SE teachers from Spain and the UK about the reasons they believed caused the low uptake of robots in SE classrooms. Findings Five main reasons why SE schools do not normally use robots in their classrooms were identified: the inability to acquire the system due to its price or availability; its difficulty of use; the low range of activities offered; the limited ways of interaction offered; and the inability to use different robots with the same software. Originality/value Previous studies focussed on exploring the advantages of using robots to help children with a...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the main reasons for low uptake of robots in special education (SE), obtained from an analysis of previous studies that used robots in the area, and from interviewing SE teachers about the topic. Design/methodology/approach An analysis of 18 studies that used robots in SE was performed, and the conclusions were complemented and compared with the feedback from interviewing 13 SE teachers from Spain and the UK about the reasons they believed caused the low uptake of robots in SE classrooms. Findings Five main reasons why SE schools do not normally use robots in their classrooms were identified: the inability to acquire the system due to its price or availability; its difficulty of use; the low range of activities offered; the limited ways of interaction offered; and the inability to use different robots with the same software. Originality/value Previous studies focussed on exploring the advantages of using robots to help children with a...

This paper presents a case study demonstrating the integration of the humanoid robotic platform Nao within a Network Robot System (NRS) application. The specific scenario of interest takes place in a smart home environment; the task being that of bringing a can of soda from a fridge to a human user. We use this concrete scenario to evaluate how the performance of such a robot can be affected by being embedded inside an intelligent domestic environment. This study points out that, by cooperating with different components on the network the overall performance of the robot is increased.

The development of high-level behavior for autonomous robots is a time-consuming task even for experts. This paper presents a Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tool, named Kouretes Statechart Editor (KSE), which enables the developer to easily specify a desired robot behavior as a statechart model utilizing a variety of base robot functionalities (vision, localization, locomotion, motion skills, communication). A statechart is a compact platform-independent formal model used widely in software engineering for designing software systems. KSE adopts the Agent Systems Engineering Methodology (ASEME) model-driven approach. Thus, KSE guides the developer through a series of design steps within a graphical environment that leads to automatic source code generation. We use KSE for developing the behavior of the Nao humanoid robots of our team Kouretes competing in the Standard Platform League of the RoboCup competition.