White Paper Open Solution (Maelzel, Inc.

Wheeled Robotic Platform

White Paper Open Solution

(Dolly) Wheeled Robotic Platform

A Wheeled Robotic Platform to Assist in the Development of Embedded, Artificially Intelligent, Autonomous and Adaptive Agent Algorithms

Date of Proposal: Proposal Submitter:

24 May 2004 Maelzel, Inc. 1350 Beverly Rd., Suite 115-133 McLean, VA 22101 Non-Profit Mr. Ovi Chris Rouly ocr@maelzel.org Mc Lean, VA. 6-Months after Contract TBD $204,850 (NRE including personnel)

Type of Business: Technical Point of Contact:

Place/Deliverables Date:

Contract Instrument: Total Proposed Cost:

White Paper Open Solution (Maelzel, Inc.) 1 Abstract

Wheeled Robotic Platform

This white paper proposes the construction of a wheeled, robotic platform (specifically a unicycle robot) to assist in the development of embedded, artificially intelligent, autonomous and adaptive, agent algorithms. The proposed robotic platform will operate as an independent (autonomous) agent. However, when joined by other similar platforms, it could easily function as a member of a collective (or small community) of knowledge acquiring and adaptive-behavior-sharing machines. 2 Proposed Technology Communication between agents by wireless data link and user voice control. Flexible interface support for various Artificial Intelligence control models. Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy control for non-linear platform balancing behaviors. Anthropomorphic exoskeleton to facilitate human/machine interaction.1 COTS and proprietary PC/104 embedded computer hardware. On-board Pentium III (1.2 GHz) CPU and 4-DOF laser / camera pointer. Self-erecting (with limits) using exoskeleton and arms. See Fig. 1.

Figure 1a View of Dolly with Exoskeleton Body Panels Attached.

1

The exoskeleton body panels shown in Figure 1a add greater locomotion flexibility (self-erection capability) and a more anthropomorphic appearance. A preliminary view of platform subassemblies (without the body panels attached) appears in Figure 1b below.

White Paper Open Solution (Maelzel, Inc.)

Wheeled Robotic Platform

Figure 2b View of Dolly Tilt and Pan Mechanism, Body Panels Removed. 3 Missions

A large-scale, commercialized Dolly might serve in three application / mission areas: Unmanned Vehicle Autonomy, Command, and Control Research Prototyping. Homeland Security Guard, Inspector, or General Purpose Personnel Surrogate. Urban Warfare War Fighter Assistant, Scout, and Close-Range Laser Designator.

White Paper Open Solution (Maelzel, Inc.)

Wheeled Robotic Platform

Innovative and Integrated System Technologies

The Dolly Wheeled Robotic Platform is a compact system of original innovations and integrated COTS technologies. If fully developed and enhanced with an Artificial Intelligence the deliverable would become an autonomously acting, mobile, robotic agent. Such an agent might, when connected by wireless Ethernet data link to other compatible platforms, then be able to function as part of a collective of knowledge acquiring and adaptive-behavior-sharing machines. Besides interfacing directly with the user from a wireless Ethernet connection, Dolly will respond to the following thirteen, speaker-independent voice2 commands: Hey Dolly Come here Turn Follow me

Go back Left Home

Go forward Right Good Dolly

Stop Recharge No

Deterministic 4-DOF, unicycle-locomotion is the consequence of complex, non-linear control and is a multi-dimensional problem that is well suited to real-time solution by Fuzzy Logic. Thus, the Dolly platform will use an Altera FPGA-based, closed-loop Fuzzy Logic controller and a COTS Inertial Navigation System3 (accelerometer, magnetic sensor, and ceramic gyroscope) from NEC Tokin to derive stable, erect platform control and locomotion. Off-line, an Artificial Neural Network (running in the Dolly on-board computer4) will back-propagate Fuzzy Associative Memory vector sets to the Fuzzy Logic controller to assist in achieving platform vertical stabilization under all loading conditions and modes of operation. At run-time however, the output of the Neuro-Fuzzy (N-F) system will present only a set of subsumable, memory-mapped, locomotion control addresses to the Dolly autonomous agent for use in directing platform behaviors. (It needs to be stated plainly that the N-F part of the Dolly system is concerned only with maintaining platform stabilization and providing a standardized interface for locomotion control.) The N-F controller contains no aspect of an artificial intelligence. However, by design, the Dolly PC/104 card stack will support any user model of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that can be instantiated within its bus architecture. This feature makes the Dolly platform a flexible alternative for embedded AI research using an anthropomorphic metaphor and for taking advantage of the situated agency paradigm for autonomous systems.
2

These are provided by Sensory, Inc. of Santa Clara, CA. as part of their RSC 4128 voice recognition/synthesizer component set prepared especially for Maelzel, Inc. 3 The Inertial Navigation System sensor is a NEC Tokin's 3D motion sensor from NEC Tokin America, Inc. of Wheeling, IL. 4 This is a Pentium III (1.2 GHz) from Toronto Micro-Electronics, Inc of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

White Paper Open Solution (Maelzel, Inc.)

Wheeled Robotic Platform

In fact, Dolly was explicitly designed to take advantage of the anthropomorphic metaphor and to operate under the control of a cybernetic agency: an agency that behaves according to closed-loop and goal-seeking/drive-reducing principles, one that is self-modifying, and that uses behavioral ethology based control. Research has suggested that such an autonomous, cybernetic agent can manifest adaptive, emergent, stigmergent, and reentrant (recursively enumerable) behavioral output based on current and recent input, and heuristic probabilities. Maelzel recommends the Dolly AI component be based on extensions to the learning engine used in the DARYL Rodent Model5. That engine can be user taught and is capable of independent, discovery learning. Non-adaptive (or unsuccessful) behaviors are either not instantiated within the learning engine or are extinguished by attrition. Adaptive behaviors are incorporated in the grammar induced by the engine. However, since explicit descriptions of the recommended AI component are beyond the purpose of this white paper, they are not quoted in the base price option. 5 Potential Solution Set

As proposed here, the Dolly platform will carry an active, on-board, 4-DOF laser / camera pointer system. Other hardware and telemetry packages could be added to the platform. However, at present, the following solution set is considered feasible for a fully developed Dolly system that would include an appropriate AI and subsequent training. 6 6.1 Unmanned vehicle autonomy, command, and control research prototyping. Homeland security guard, inspector, or general-purpose personnel surrogate. Urban warfare war fighter assistant, scout, and close-range laser designator. Hostage/Captor communications relay surrogate for civilian law enforcement. Mobile facial recognition & profiler of persons moving about in public corridors. Unattended object recognizer and visitor information assistant in public places. Telerobotic remote vision in hazardous environments. High-Tech envoy, customer relations representative, and small group escort. Facilities and Personnel Maelzel, Inc.

Maelzel, Inc., has an engineering office in McLean, Virginia. Its mission is to develop a technology (a machine) that demonstrates apparent artificial intelligence. That mission
5

The DARYL Rodent Model is a P-Type learning automata. P-Type machines were first described by A. M. Turing (in 1948) as a class of unorganized machines. Several years later, M. L. Tsetlin independently considered machines of similar function in his PhD dissertation. Current literature (Narendra, et al) refers to them as Learning Automata, credits Tsetlin, and neglects the Turing discovery. However, since they are computationally equivalent and Turing actually instantiated several models on paper, credit is given here to Turing for their invention and not Tsetlin. In general, the P-Type algorithm is similar to that of a Stochastic Learning Automata.

White Paper Open Solution (Maelzel, Inc.)

Wheeled Robotic Platform

will be realized when an embedded and embodied hardware and software technology, situated in a constrained environment, emerges demonstrating cybernetic, autonomous, and adaptive agency. Maelzel first did business in 1987 in the state of Arizona. In 2004, Maelzel submitted articles of incorporation and application to the state of Virginia as a not for profit organization exclusively for the purpose of scientific research according to the rules of the Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c)(3) in the general area of adaptive and embedded artificial intelligence. Maelzel, Inc., is prepared to negotiate any detail of the scientific inquiry proposed in this research, as well as all financial concerns related to the work, with the sponsor at the convenience of the sponsor. 6.2 Ovi Chris Rouly

Ovi Chris Rouly is a director and senior roboticist at Maelzel, Inc. In 2003, Mr. Rouly was engaged as Principle Systems Engineer with the Raytheon Company in Falls Church, Virginia for the purpose of designing autonomous and adaptive control systems in uninhabited combat aerial vehicles. Since 1984, he has worked in the aerospace industry with companies like Northrop-Grumman (Grumman Technical Services, Inc.), Honeywell CAS, and Sperry Avionics. He holds a masters degree in Electrical Engineering, separate undergraduate degrees in Computer Science and Psychology, and he has an Associates in Electronic Technology. His graduate studies focused on adaptive systems theory and high-speed circuit design. Mr. Rouly completed his thesis and thesis research in applied cybernetic robotics and Turing machine theory at New Mexico State University. The title of his graduate thesis was Cybernetic Intelligence: A Return to Qualitative Feedback Theory. The work dealt with the embodied and situated agency of a P-Type Stochastic Learning Automata within an untethered mobile robot (an artificial rodent). Pictures of the research product (the actual robotic device) and other examples of his work can be seen on the web at: http://www.maelzel.com/. Interested sponsors are encouraged to review the web site and the works shown there. 6.3 Mechanical Engineer

A mechanical engineer will be contracted to support the proposed work.

White Paper Open Solution (Maelzel, Inc.)

Wheeled Robotic Platform

Cost Estimate Summary (Dolly) Wheeled Robotic Platform Deliverable: NRE Costs: Production Cost: one platform and complete specifications 6-months after contract ($204,850) ; Includes personnel costs. $25,250 ; Underlined PER-UNIT-COSTS for small quantities.

Worksheet: Estimate of Costs for One Prototype Unit 1 Personnel 1.1 Electrical Engineer 1.2 Mechanical Engineer 1.3 Other (Clerical) 2 System Components 2.1 A1 System (Top level drawings, component descriptions, and product specifications) 2.2 A2 Electrical (Includes PC/104 Card Stack) 2.2.1 CPU; Toronto MicroElectronics, 512KL2 W/256 MB Ram 2.2.2 Power Supply; Diamond Systems HE104 2.2.3 Motor Drivers, COTS or Original Design ($250 each after design) 2.2.4 P-Type Circuits, Original Design ($250 each after design) 2.2.5 Neuro-Fuzzy Circuits, Original Design ($250 each after design) 2.2.6 Cells, Yardney, INCP95/28/151 (Battery of 4 pcs at $3,750 each) 2.2.7 Battery Charging Circuit, COTS or Original Design ($250 each after design) 2.2.8 Voice recognition Circuit, COTS or Original Design ($250 each after design) 2.2.9 Wireless Ethernet, COTS 2.2.10 Video Camera / Laser, 4 DOF Servomount ($250 each after design) 2.2.11 3-D Motion Sensor, COTS, NECTokin, MDP-A3U7 ($250 each after design) N/A 2,080 hours 1040 hours 520 hours 520 hours ($130,000) $75 / hr. $65 / hr. $35 / hr. ($58,000) $24,750

$1,300 $250 $4,750 $4,750 $4,750 $15,000 $4,750

$4,750

$100 $1,000 $1,250

White Paper Open Solution (Maelzel, Inc.) 2.3 A3 Mechanical 2.3.1 Motors, Maxon gearheads (5 pcs at $650 each) 2.3.2 Motors, Maxon pancakes (4 pcs for arms estimated at $400 each) 2.3.3 Grippers (2 pcs, 2 fingered, raw estimate) 2.3.4 Machine shop; (80hrs X $100/hr) ($250 each after design) 2.3.5 Polycarbonate & Aluminum Stock, Miscellaneous Threaded Fastners, Connectors, etc. ($250 each after design) 2.4 A4 Software Original Code Objects

Wheeled Robotic Platform

$3,250 $1,600 $1,000 $8,000 $1,500

N/A

Tools and Software 3.1 Tools 3.1.1 3.1.2 3.1.3 3.1.4

($16,850) $500 $5,000 $250 $350 $250

Oscilloscope DVM Bench Power Supply Handtools

3.2 Software 3.2.1 Altera MaxPlus II (ISP option) 3.2.2 Electronics Workbench Simulator & Layout UltiBOARD; (1 lic. X $2,995) MultiSIM; (1 lic. X $3,995) 3.2.3 MS VisualStudio.NET; (3 lic. X $500) 3.2.4 MS CE Embedded Operating System

$2,000 $7,000

$1,500 $500