In-Robot Network Architectures for Humanoid Robots With Human Sensor and Motor Functions

Chengyu Cui,Sungkwon Park

doi:10.1109/access.2021.3082143

Abstract

The design concepts of the in-robot network (IRN) architectures of humanoid robots are proposed in this paper. First, this paper reveals the network requirements for humanoid robots to realize perception abilities and action execution abilities near those of human beings. Humanoid robots need to be equipped with many sensors to collect surrounding environmental information. It is also necessary to use many motion actuators to enhance the degree of freedom to achieve the smooth motion abilities of humans. To maintain reliable data transmission between a number of nodes, an efficient and reliable IRN architecture is needed. This paper first discusses the limitations of existing humanoid robots in the number of sensors and degrees of freedom and points out that one of the reasons for this limitation is the lack of reliable network architectures. In-vehicle networks (IVNs) and various network technologies are used. These include time-sensitive networks and control area networks (CANs) to name a few. Additionally, heterogeneous network protocols are used. IRNs also include networks of sensors and actuators with different performance parameters such as bandwidth, delay, and transmission speed. IRNs may adopt design ideas similar to those of IVNs to satisfy the network requirements for humanoids. To accomplish this, three feasible IRN architectures are proposed and analyzed. Finally, to compare and analyze the three proposed IRN architectures, this paper uses OMNeT <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">++</sup> simulation software.

Highlights

Humanoids are intelligent robots with appearances and functions similar to those of humans
The reason why humanoid robots can act like humans and have human behavior is that they have a central system constructed by sensors, which controls and directs the behavior of the robot in a way similar to that of the brain
We found that the existing research on in-robot network (IRN) is only at the basic ethernet and control area network (CAN) level and does not solve the large-scale communication network issues we proposed. [1], [6], [7] we examined the In-vehicle networks (IVNs) and found that in order to provide the required security level, time sensitivity, and communication speed for different network nodes, the IVN divides the entire vehicle network into several domains and assigns different network communication protocols

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Humanoids are intelligent robots with appearances and functions similar to those of humans. We propose the in-robot network (IRN), which is intended to support the extensive amount of data communication generated between the sensors, processors, and actuators in humanoids. Park: In-Robot Network Architectures for Humanoid Robots With Human Sensor and Motor Functions humanoid robots, the social-level information processing in the application layer is not included in the scope of this paper. Similar to the neural network of the human body, the sensors in the humanoids play the role of sensory neurons and collect the temperature, humidity, pressure and other environmental factors of the external environment These environmental factors are transmitted through the IRN to the central procession unit (CPU), which serves as the robot’s brain.

AND RELATED WORK

IRN ARCHITECTURE DIVIDED BY FUNCTIONALITY

Findings

CONCLUSION