Human-assistance robotic system based on distributed computing technology

Abstract

Population aging is becoming an increasingly pressing problem for society. Thus, the timely development of supporting systems to improve care cost and the quality of life of the elderly is becoming particularly important. Because of the dispersal of the elderly and disabled, a standard software architecture that can implement network-distributed software sharing and improve the cost of writing and maintaining software is in high demand. This paper proposes using distributing computing technology CORBA to integrate network-distributed software and robotic systems for supporting the aged or disabled. Using CORBA as a communication architecture, we implemented a networkdistributed human-assistance robotic system. We developed a hardware base including a robot arm and an omnidirectional mobile robot, developed key technologies such as localization of a mobile robot, real-time recognition, real-time multimedia, and implemented several CORBA servers including a Web user management server, a task-level robot arm control server, a live image and video feedback server, a mobile robot control server, and an indoor Global Positioning System server. With the user controlling a robot arm with 5 d.o.f. to cooperate with an omnidirectional mobile robot, the developed system can provide basic services to support the aged and disabled.