Special Issue on Machine Intelligence for Robotics and Mechatronics

Abstract

Machine intelligence is important in realizing intelligent recognition, control, and task execution in robotics and mechatronics research. One major approach involves developing machine learning / computational intelligence. This exciting field displays continuous dramatic progress based on new computer performance advances and trends. The 15 papers in this special issue present the latest machine intelligence for robotics and mechatronics and their applications. The first four papers propose interactive human-machine systems and human interfacing supporting human activities and service operations. One example of the major applications of robotics and mechatronics research is supporting daily life and work. The next four papers cover the issues of multiagents and multirobot systems, including intelligent design approach to control based on advanced distributed computational intelligence. Two papers on visual/pattern recognition discuss the asbestos fiber counting problem in qualitative analysis as a typical machine intelligence application. The next two papers deal with bio-related issues - social insects (termites) inspiring labor control of multirobots and “nonsocial” insects (crickets) inspiring a novel experimental interactive robot-insect tool. The last three papers present intelligent control of robot manipulators, mainly using learning algorithms as computational intelligence. All explore cutting-edge research machine intelligence for robotics and mechatronics. We thank the authors for their invaluable contributions in submitting their most recent research results to this issue. We are grateful to the reviewers for their generous time and effort. We also thank the Editorial Board member of the Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics for helping to make this issue possible.