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Robots

CARL-SJR

CARL-SJR (Spike Judging Robot) is a novel, socially assistive robot that uses track balls on its hemispheric shell for sensing touch, and LEDs for communication with users by changing its skin pattern or coloration. Unlike many tactile robots, which focus on grasping and manipulation, CARL-SJR's tactile sensing was designed to facilitate interaction with a person. The track balls are connected to a complex circuit board and a fully self-contained computer unit that records all movements, which will eventually allow the robot to learn and adapt its patterning to the user.
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) tend to show impaired social skills, but they respond well to robot artifacts, making interaction with CARL-SJR a potential form of therapy for these subjects.

See all of CARL-SJR's images in the Gallery.
Media Coverage: Discovery News, UCI School of Sciences.
More information can be found in the paper Sensory Decoding in a Tactile, Interactive Neurorobot (2014) [pdf].

Le Carl

Introducing Le Carl. It might be low on style, but it is high on personality and practicality. The "French Robot" is composed of an R/C vehicle, an IOIO board, and an Android phone. Unlike other cars, this platform receives motor commands from a computer over WiFi or 3G, and sends video and sensor values back to the computer.

Watch all of Le Carl's videos in the Gallery.
For more information and videos visit Dr. Nicolas Oros' website.

CarlRoomba

CarlRoomba is a programmable iRobot Create equipped with an URG-04-LX laser range finder (Hokuyo Automatic Co. LTD.) and a System 76 netbook running the Ubuntu Linux operating system for computation.

Watch all of CarlRoomba's videos in the Gallery.
More information can be found in the paper A Biologically Inspired Action Selection Algorithm Based on the Principles of Neuromodulation (2012) [pdf]. and in the paper A neurorobotic platform to test the influence of neuromodulatory signaling on anxious and curious behavior. Frontiers in neurorobotics 7, 1-17.[pdf]

Carl

Carl is a two-wheeled mobile robot equipped with a CCD video camera having a RF transmitter for vision, IR sensors for obstacle avoidance, and a WiFi device server for communication between the robot and a computer workstation.

Watch all of Carl's videos in the Gallery.
More details can be found in the paper Neuromodulation as a Robot Controller (2009)[pdf]
 
 
 

 

Carl