Journal of Robotics, Networking and Artificial Life

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493 articles
Editorial

Editor's Preface

Masanori Sugisaka
Pages: 1 - 1
Research Article

An accurate method for the extraction of line structured light stripe

Jiwu Wang, Yaodong Li, Zhijing Jian, Masanori Sugisaka
Pages: 1 - 4
In order to improve the accuracy in the On-line measurement of rail profile with a line structured light based on machine vision, the accurate extraction of a structured light stripe is a necessary and key step. An accurate extraction method is proposed for the structural light stripe in practical applications....
Research Article

Undershoot Reduction in Discrete-Time ADRC of NMP Plant by Parameters Optimization

Tong Wu, Weicun Zhang
Pages: 1 - 4
Undershoot phenomena caused by unstable zeros of non-minimum-phase (NMP) plant is difficult to deal with in active disturbance rejection control (ADRC). This paper proposes a new method to reduce undershoot by optimizing the controller parameters of discrete-time ADRC system. Simulation results are given...
Research Article

Analysis of Asymmetric Mutation Model in Random Local Search

Hiroshi Furutani, Makoto Sakamoto, Yifei Du, Kenji Aoki
Pages: 1 - 4
In a standard Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs), one uses the same rate for mutations from bit 1 to bit 0 and its reverse direction. There are many reports that the asymmetric mutation model is a very powerful strategy in EAs to obtain better solutions more efficiently. In this paper, we report stochastic...
Research Article

An Analysis on Commercial Film Techniques and Effects Using Positive Factors of Evaluation Database System

Yoji Kawamura
Pages: 1 - 6
This study aims to systematically shed light on what kind of effects are brought about by the film techniques in individual commercial messages. Based on audiovisual experiments, with positive factors as the evaluation index, we considered what could be analyzed from film techniques and their effects....
Research Article

Optimal Hohmann-Type Impulsive Ellipse-to-Ellipse Coplanar Rendezvous

Xiwen Tian, Yingmin Jia
Pages: 1 - 5
This paper devotes to the problem of ellipse-to-ellipse coplanar rendezvous, where the solution and distribution of Hohmann-type optimal impulsive rendezvous are investigated. The analytical relation between the initial states and rendezvous time are derived for Hohmann-type, and the optimal impulse...
Research Article

Design and Application of Intelligent Networking Integration System with CANopen Protocol for Tool Machine Production Line

Chau-Chung Song, Yu-Wei Ho, Yu-Kai Chen, Chung-Wen Hung
Pages: 1 - 6
In this paper, the intelligent networking integration system is designed and constructed by applying the Controller Area Network (CAN)open profiles as communication protocol for tool machine production line. While the basic network management and data transmission is followed by the dictionary objects...
Research Article

Measuring Redundancy Score for Test Suite Evaluation by Using Test Cases Matching Approach

Mochamad Chandra Saputra, Tetsuro Katayama, Yoshihiro Kita, Hisaaki Yamaba, Kentaro Aburada, Naonobu Okazaki
Pages: 1 - 5
Evaluating a test suite that contains redundant test cases is necessary to reduce the cost of testing. The redundant test cases exist when both of the two test cases are executed the same lines of code. This research evaluates the test suite by identifying redundant test cases. Exact match approach is...
Research Article

Anomaly Stop Detection by Smartphone

Viet Chau Dang, Masao Kubo, Hiroshi Sato, Tomohiro Shirakawa, Akira Namatame
Pages: 2 - 6
This paper proposes a method for detecting anomaly stop events from GPS logs of a vehicle recorded by smartphone. Despite of many researches of strong braking event detection are proposed, they cannot discriminate between a normal and an abnormal braking event. Our proposal includes an IMAC model for...
Research Article

Action recognition based on binocular vision

Yiwei Ru, Hongyue Du, Shuxiao Li, Hongxing Chang
Pages: 5 - 9
Aimed at the problem that the recognition accuracy of the monocular camera is low, we propose a binocular vision recognition algorithm for action recognition based on HART-Net(Human action recognition networks).Firstly, the left and right views obtained by the binocular camera are matched to obtain the...
Research Article

Evaluation of a safety map generated from a collection of difference of Individuals

Masao Kubo, Viet Chau Dan, Hiroshi Sato, Akira Namatame
Pages: 5 - 8
In this paper, a method to generate traffic safety maps automatically from a collection of GPS logs of a drivers' smartphone. So far methods that residents can update their traffic environment better by their opinion are required for. The proposed method which uses a collection of individual summary...
Research Article

Facial Expression Recognition Using Facial Expression Intensity Characteristics of Thermal Image

Yasunari Yoshitomi, Taro Asada, Ryota Kato, Masayoshi Tabuse
Pages: 5 - 8
To develop a robot that understands human feeling, we propose a method for recognizing facial expressions. A video was analyzed by thermal image processing and the feature parameter of facial expression, which was extracted in the area of the mouth and jaw by a two-dimensional discrete cosine transform....
Research Article

Natural Computing Paradigm – A Concise Introduction

Takashi Yokomori
Pages: 6 - 9
Natural computing (NC) is an emerging area of research that investigates computing techniques and models inspired by nature on one hand, and it also investigates phenomena taking place in nature in terms of computational methodologies on the other hand. Thus, research in NC congenitally has interdisciplinary...
Research Article

A Multi-agent Reinforcement Learning Method for Role Differentiation Using State Space Filters with Fluctuation Parameters

Masato Nagayoshi, Simon J. H. Elderton, Hisashi Tamaki
Pages: 6 - 9
Recently, there have been many studies on Multi-agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) in which each autonomous agent obtains its own control rule by RL. Here, we hypothesize that different agents having individuality is more effective than uniform agents in terms of role differentiation in MARL. We have...
Research Article

Method of Facial Expression Analysis Using Video Phone and Thermal Image

Yasunari Yoshitomi, Taro Asada, Ryota Kato, Masayoshi Tabuse
Pages: 7 - 11
To improve the quality of life of elderly people living in a home or healthcare facility, especially in a rural area, we have been developing a method for analyzing the facial expressions of a person using a video phone system (Skype) to speak with another person. In the present study, we proposed a...
Research Article

Real-Time System for Horizontal Asymmetry Analysis on Facial Expression and its Visualization

Ryoichi Shimada, Taro Asada, Yasunari Yoshitomi, Masayoshi Tabuse
Pages: 7 - 11
We report on the development of a real-time system for facial expression horizontal asymmetry analysis and visualization. In this system, the image signal input from a webcam is analyzed using OpenCV, and feature parameters (facial expression intensity) are measured separately for the left and right...
Research Article

Research on a Bridgeless Interleaved PFC Boost Converter with Voltage Doubler Feature

Chih-Chiang Hua, Ching-Chun Chuang, Hung-Chi Lee, Chih-Wei Chuang, Chuan-Ming Niu
Pages: 7 - 11
A current-fed bridgeless interleaved power factor correction rectifier with voltage-doubler characteristic is proposed for a hybrid electric vehicle charging system. The simulated efficiencies, Total current Harmonics current Distortion (THDi), and Power Factor (PF) for the bridgeless interleaved Power...
Research Article

Feature Acquisition From Facial Expression Image Using Convolutional Neural Networks

Taiki Nishime, Satoshi Endo, Koji Yamada, Naruaki Toma, Yuhei Akamine
Pages: 9 - 12
In this study, we carried out the facial expression recognition from facial expression dataset using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN). In addition, we analyzed intermediate outputs of CNN. As a result, we have obtained a emotion recognition score of about 58%; two emotions (Happiness, Surprise) recognition...
Research Article

Prototype of a Supporting Tool to Generate Testing Communication Diagram

Tetsuro Katayama, Seiya Urata, Yohei Ogata, Yoshihiro Kita, Hisaaki Yamaba, Kentaro Aburada, Naonobu Okazaki
Pages: 9 - 12
This research has implemented a prototype of a supporting tool to generate testing communication diagram. The testing communication diagram helps a developer to understand where the software system is tested by a large quantity of test cases written in text, and it is generated by adding the information...
Research Article

Leader-follower Formation Control of Mobile Robots with Sliding Mode

Wenhao Zheng, Yingmin Jia
Pages: 10 - 13
This paper considers the formation control of nonholonomic mobile robots. The formation problem is converted to the error model based on the leader-follower structure. A sliding mode controller, which is proved to be globally finite-time stable by Lyapunov stability theory, is presented in this study....
Research Article

Advanced Rolling Bearing Fault Diagnosis Using Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition, Principal Component Analysis and Probabilistic Neural Network

Caixia Gao, Tong Wu, Ziyi Fu
Pages: 10 - 14
Aiming at the problem that the vibration signal of the incipient fault is weak, an automatic and intelligent fault diagnosis algorithm combined with ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), principal component analysis (PCA) and probabilistic neural network (PNN) is proposed for rolling bearing...
Research Article

Human–Computer Communication Using Recognition and Synthesis of Facial Expression

Yasunari Yoshitomi
Pages: 10 - 13
To develop a complex computer system such as a robot that can communicate smoothly with humans, it is necessary to equip the system with a function for both understanding human emotions and expressing emotional signals. From both perspectives, facial expression is a promising research area. In our research,...
Research Article

Variable-poled Tracking Control of a Two-wheeled Mobile Robot Using Differential Flatness

Liming Chen, Yingmin Jia
Pages: 12 - 16
This paper investigates the tracking control of a two-wheeled mobile robot in both kinematic and dynamic models. Differential flatness and PD-spectral theory are used for controller design. Based on differential flatness, the original system is transformed via a state prolongation and a state transformation...
Research Article

A New Machine Learning Algorithm for Weather Visibility and Food Recognition

Young Im Cho, Akmaljon Palvanov
Pages: 12 - 17
Due to the recent improvement in computer performance and computational tools, deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been established as powerful class of models in various problems such as image classification, recognition, and object detection. In this study, we address two fundamentally dissimilar...
Research Article

Research of the Control Strategy of VIENNA Rectifier Circuit based on the Vector Control

Fengzhi Dai, Yuxuan Zhu, Di Yin, Yasheng Yuan
Pages: 12 - 15
This paper analyzes the working principle of VIENNA rectifier and establishes the transformation model of rectifier in three different mathematical coordinate systems. First is to obtain the control structure of the converter, which is a double closed loop control structure (the voltage is the outer...
Research Article

Disrupting the Industry with Play

Henrik Hautop Lund
Pages: 13 - 16
Decades of research into intelligent, playful technology and user-friendly man-machine interfaces has provided important insight into the creation of robotic systems and intelligent interactive systems which are much more user-friendly, safer and cheaper than what appeared possible merely a decade or...
Research Article

Attitude Reorientation of Spacecraft with Attitude Forbidden Zones

Xuhui Lu, Yingmin Jia
Pages: 13 - 16
This paper investigates an attitude reorientation control scheme of spacecraft, considering attitude forbidden zone and external disturbances. A novel potential barrier function is proposed with an attitude constraint term and a dynamical scaling term. Here the dynamical scaling term is synthesized with...
Research Article

Design of a Data-Oriented Kansei Feedback Control System

Takuya Kinoshita, Toru Yamamoto
Pages: 14 - 17
In the development of the aging society, it is important for patients with hemiplegia to introduce adaptive welfare equipment. However, it is difficult to determine the suitable reference signal for each person. In this study, the design of a data-oriented cascade control system based on Kansei is proposed....
Research Article

Generation of Cell-Like Images Using Euclidean Distance from Edge

Toru Hiraoka, Kohei Maeda
Pages: 14 - 17
A non-photorealistic rendering method has been proposed to generate cell-like images in which cell-like patterns are represented in photographic images. Cell-like patterns are automatically generated by the change of density of photographic images. However, cell-like patterns are irregularly arranged....
Research Article

A Comparative Study on the Delisting Ratings of Firms from the UN Global Compact in the International Management Environment

Kanako Negishi
Pages: 15 - 18
This study clarifies unique characteristics of Japanese manufacturing firms in the international business management environment using the United Nations Global Compact delisting ratio through a comparative study on Japan, China, Spain, and the US. Analyzing the number of countries and delisting ratios...
Research Article

Evaluation of the Relationships between Saliency Maps and Keypoints

Ryuugo Mochizuki, Kazuo Ishii
Pages: 16 - 21
The saliency map is proposed by Itti et al., to represent the conspicuity or saliency in the visual field and to guide the selection of attended locations based on the spatial distribution of saliency, which works as the trigger of bottom-up attention. If a certain location in the visual field is sufficiently...
Research Article

Intelligent mechanisms in E. coli in processing carbon sources

Zhongyuan Tian, Hiroshi Matsuno
Pages: 17 - 21
E. coli is “wise” enough to take suitable responding time, and suitable responding behaviors, when facing different kinds and intensities of stimulations. In a network of glycogen metabolism, a shorter time stimuli result in the post translation level reactions for quicker response, and a longer time...
Research Article

Medical Image Analysis of Brain X-ray CT Images By Deep GMDH-Type Neural Network

Tadashi Kondo, Junji Ueno, Shoichiro Takao
Pages: 17 - 23
The deep Group Method of Data Handling (GMDH)-type neural network is applied to the medical image analysis of brain X-ray CT image. In this algorithm, the deep neural network architectures which have many hidden layers and fit the complexity of the nonlinear systems, are automatically organized using...
Research Article

Postural Sway Response to Local Vibratory Stimulation in Young, Middle-aged and Elderly People in Standing Position

Ayaka Yamada, Eishi Nakamura, Noritaka Sato, Yoshifumi Morita, Tadashi Ito, Yoshihito Sakai, Kazunori Yamazaki
Pages: 17 - 21
We investigated the postural sway in response to local vibratory stimulation applied to young, middle-aged and elderly people in the standing position. For this purpose we developed a variable-frequency vibratory stimulation device and measured the postural sway using a gravicorder. As a result, when...
Research Article

Exercise classification using CNN with image frames produced from time-series motion data

Hajime Itoh, Naohiko Hanajima, Yohei Muraoka, Makoto Ohata, Masato Mizukami, Yoshinori Fujihira
Pages: 18 - 21
Exercise support systems for the elderly have been developed and some were equipped with a motion sensor to evaluate their exercise motion. Normally, it provides three-dimensional time-series data of over 20 joints. In this study, we propose to apply Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) methodology to...
Research Article

Development of Dam Inspection Underwater Robot

Hiroyasu Hirai, Kazuo Ishii
Pages: 18 - 22
The maintenances of social infrastructures such as dams and bridges are important subjects. The older the infrastructure becomes, the more need there is for effective inspection methods. In the inspection of the underwater dam structure, divers can be used, but the inspection result is insufficient....
Research Article

Defect Detection of Micro-Precision Glass Insulated Terminals

Qunpo Liu, Mengke Wang, Zonghui Liu, Bo Su, Naohiko Hanajima
Pages: 18 - 23
Micro-precision Glass Insulated Terminals (referred to as glass terminals) are the core components used in precision electronic equipment and are often used for electrical connections between modules. As a glass terminal, its quality has a great influence on the performance of precision electronic equipment....
Research Article

Parameter Optimization with Input/Output Data via DE for Adaptive Control System with Neural Network

Taro Takagi, Ikuro Mizumoto
Pages: 19 - 22
In this paper, adaptive control system with neural network (NN) will be designed. At the beginning, parallel feedforward compensator (PFC) will be designed by using one-shot experimental data of controlled system via differential evolution (DE). From the obtained PFC and the ideal almost strictly positive...
Research Article

Playware Research – Methodological Considerations

Henrik Hautop Lund
Pages: 22 - 26
Several sub-disciplines of engineering are driven by the researchers’ aim of providing positive change to the society through their engineering. These researchers are challenged by the traditional research method of experimental research with a waterfall model which demands clearly defined project definition...
Research Article

A Human Reaching Movement Model for Myoelectric Prosthesis Control

Go Nakamura, Taro Shibanoki, Yuichiro Honda, Akito Masuda, Futoshi Mizobe, Takaaki Chin, Toshio Tsuji
Pages: 22 - 27
This paper proposes a reaching movement model for the generation of desired trajectories within a myoelectric prosthesis training system. First, an experiment was performed to observe reaching movements with a non-impaired subject and a myoelectric prosthesis user. Reaching movements made by the prosthesis...
Research Article

Error Recovery of Pick-and-Place Tasks in Consideration of Reusability of Planning

Akira Nakamura, Kazuyuki Nagata, Kensuke Harada, Natsuki Yamanobe
Pages: 22 - 25
Error recovery in robotic tasks is explored to enable robots to be used for complicated tasks. The authors’ error recovery processes make use of the concepts of both task stratification and error classification. In this paper, the reusability of planning in error recovery is verified by using the typical...
Research Article

Biomimetic Analog Silicon Synaptic Circuit with Tunable Reversal Potential

Ashish Gautam, Takashi Kohno
Pages: 22 - 26
Experimental results of a biomimetic silicon synaptic circuit capable of generating both excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents are presented. The generated synaptic current takes into account its first-order dependence on the instantaneous value of the postsynaptic membrane potential, with...
Research Article

A Framework for Haiku Generation from a Narrative

Takuya Ito, Takashi Ogata
Pages: 23 - 26
The primary goal of the authors’ research related to the generation of narratives and haikus is to complete a mutual transformation mechanism between a narrative and a haiku. In this work, the authors propose a framework for transforming a narrative into haiku. The paper shows a basic method of generating...
Research Article

Management of digital records with RADAR by data dilution into Complex System

Anne Jeannin-Girardon, Alexandre Bruyant, Nicolas Toussaint, Ismaila Diouf, Pierre Collet, Pierre Parrend
Pages: 23 - 26
Storing sensitive data in a centralized way can lead to significant loss, should the central node or networks links be defective as is the case in numerous countries, especially developing countries. Consequently, this paper proposes to deal with this problem by diluting sensitive data into an ecosystem...
Research Article

Estimating Age on Twitter Using Self-Training Semi-Supervised SVM

Tatsuyuki Iju, Satoshi Endo, Koji Yamada, Naruaki Toma, Yuhei Akamine
Pages: 24 - 27
The estimation methods for Twitter user’s attributes typically require a vast amount of labeled data. Therefore, an efficient way is to tag the unlabeled data and add it to the set. We applied the self-training SVM as a semi-supervised method for age estimation and introduced Plat scaling as the unlabeled...
Research Article

Measuring Test Suite Reusability Based on the Usage Frequency and Coverage of Reused Test Cases

Mochamad Chandra Saputra, Tetsuro Katayama, Yoshihiro Kita, Hisaaki Yamaba, Kentaro Aburada, Naonobu Okazaki
Pages: 24 - 28
Test suite reusability measurement is important to obtain the value of reusability as the degree of effectiveness of reused test suite. The measurement in this experiment considers not only the frequency of the successful test suite to examine different objects but also the code coverage as the criteria...
Research Article

Synchronized Response to Grayscale Image Inputs in Chaotic Cellular Neural Network

Masayuki Fujiwara, Akihiro Yamaguchi, Masao Kubo
Pages: 26 - 29
In this study, the synchronized response in the chaotic cellular neural network for a grayscale visual stimulus was investigated in the viewpoint of neural coding. Simple gradation patterns were used as visual stimuli and the synchronized response was analyzed by the correlation of the spike firing times....
Research Article

A Decision Making System of Robots Introducing a Re-construction of Emotions Based on Their Own Experiences

Shogo Watada, Masanao Obayashi, Takashi Kuremoto, Shingo Mabu
Pages: 27 - 32
We already proposed a decision making system for autonomous robots, which is based on a Markovian emotional model proposed by Banik. In our proposed system, decision making of the robot is designed automatically by two processes that are the construction of emotions and optimization of behavior selection...
Research Article

Novel Mathematical Modeling and Motion Analysis of a Sphere Considering Slipping

Kenji Kimura, Kouki Ogata, Kazuo Ishii
Pages: 27 - 32
Many mobile robots that use spherical locomotion employ friction-drive systems because such systems offer omnidirectional locomotion and are more capable of climbing steps than omni-wheel systems. One notable issue associated with friction-drive systems is slipping between the sphere and the roller....
Research Article

Design and Development of a Constant-Temperature Reservoir for a Database-Driven Smart Cultivation System

Shin Wakitani, Sneha Sharma, Toru Yamamoto
Pages: 27 - 31
Decreasing the number of people working in the agriculture sector is a serious problem in Japan. Production of agricultural products in a plant factory is one of the solutions to the above problem. However, setting optimal environmental conditions is difficult owing to the nonlinearity of the system....
Research Article

Intention Classification of a User of a Walking Assist Cart by using Support Vector Machine

Noritaka Sato, Tomoki Yokotani, Yoshifumi Morita
Pages: 27 - 29
To develop better assist function for a walking assist cart, we focused on the prediction of the intention of a user. As the first step of the research, the forces and torques to the cart from the user’s hands, and the rotational velocities of the wheels are sensing. And the support vector machine is...
Research Article

Hexapod Type MEMS Microrobot Equipped with an Artificial Neural Networks IC

Kazuki Sugita, Taisuke Tanaka, Yuya Nakata, Minami Takato, Ken Saito, Fumio Uchikoba
Pages: 28 - 31
This paper proposes a hexapod type microrobot controlled by an artificial neural networks IC. The structural component of the microrobot is produced by micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) process. The rotary actuator inside the robot is composed of the artificial muscle wire of shape memory alloy...
Review Article

Redefining robot based technologies for elderly people assistance: a survey

Luigi Pagliarini, Henrik Hautop Lund
Pages: 28 - 32
We analyse the state of the art of hi-tech and robot based technologies in terms of Assistive Technology for all patients and, in particular, elderly people assistance and everyday activities aid. We focus on different aspects and characteristics of these tools, such as playfulness, invasiveness, learning-speed,...
Research Article

The Security Issue of ICS: The Use of IT Infrastructure

I-Hsien Liu, Kuan-Ming Su, Jung-Shian Li
Pages: 29 - 32
With the trend of Industry 4.0, the communication established by Ethernet is becoming more and more common in the Industrial Control System (ICS), and it brings not only pros but also cons like vulnerabilities from information technology. Furthermore, most devices in the ICS are not ready for cyberattacks,...
Research Article

Distributed Terminal Backstepping control for Multi-Agent Euler-Lagrange Systems

Hu Chen, Seong-Ik Han, Jang-Myung Lee
Pages: 30 - 33
This paper presents a distributed terminal (finite-time) backstepping consensus control for multi-agent Euler-Lagrange systems. Terminal virtual error surfaces and virtual controls are proposed to guarantee the finite-time error consensus and formation convergence of a group of one-leader and multi-follower...
Research Article

Distributed Rotating Encirclement Control of Strict-Feedback Multi-Agent Systems using Bearing Measurements

Tengfei Zhang, Yingmin Jia
Pages: 30 - 34
This paper focuses on the distributed multi-target rotating encirclement formation problem of strict-feedback multi-agent systems using bearing measurements. To this end, an estimator is presented to localize agents’ neighbor targets. Then, based on the trajectory planning method, a reference trajectory...
Research Article

An Estimation Method for Environmental Friction Based on Body Dynamic Model of Caenorhabditis elegans

Zu Soh, Michiyo Suzuki, Toshio Tsuji
Pages: 32 - 40
Caenorhabditis elegans is a small worm which is approximately 1 mm in length. The present study proposes an estimation method for frictional force using locomotion information obtained from video analysis of actual worms. The results indicate that the body model driven by the estimated frictional force...
Research Article

A Metaheuristic Approach for Parameter Fitting in Digital Spiking Silicon Neuron Model

Takuya Nanami, Filippo Grassia, Takashi Kohno
Pages: 32 - 36
DSSN model is a qualitative neuronal model designed for efficient implementation in digital arithmetic circuit. In our previous studies, we developed automatic parameter fitting method using the differential evolution algorithm for regular and fast spiking neuron classes. In this work, we extended the...
Research Article

ALife for Real and Virtual Audio-Video Performances

Luigi Pagliarini, Henrik Hautop Lund
Pages: 33 - 38
MAG (an Italian acronym which stands for Musical Genetic Algorithms) is an electronic art piece in which a multifaceted software attempts to “translate” musical expression into a corresponding static or animated graphical expressions. The mechanism at the base of such “translation” consists in a quite...
Research Article

Clinical Evaluation of UR-System 2 for Recovery of Motor Function of Plegic Upper Limb after Stroke

Hirofumi Tanabe, Masahiro Mitsukane, Norihiro Toya, Ryosuke Takeichi, Hitomi Hattori, Yoshifumi Morita, Yoshiaki Takagi, Norio Hasegawa
Pages: 33 - 36
We developed a new training system UR-System 2 for restoring motor function of the upper limb after stroke in patients with hemiplegia. And then, we conducted clinical evaluation of the therapeutic effect of training with the UR-System 2 in six patients. The UR-System uses Proprioceptive Neuromuscular...
Research Article

Design of a Performance-Adaptive 1-Parameter Tuning PID Controller

Yoichiro Ashida, Shin Wakitani, Toru Yamamoto
Pages: 33 - 37
Many self-tuning Proportional–Integral–Derivative (PID) controllers have been proposed. However, these methods are rarely employed to actual systems because of low reliability of an on-line PID parameter estimator. In this work, a performance adaptive controller that has two stages of PID parameters...
Research Article

Decision System for Plural Production Lines Layout by Using GA

Hidehiko Yamamoto, Masato Noda, Hirohumi Tsuji, Yasuhisa Terawa, Yoshinori Nakamura, Masayuki Tsuchida, Katsuaki Yamada, Yukiyasu Kuriyama
Pages: 33 - 36
We develop the system to decide the efficient layout of assembly production line by using Genetic Algorithm (GA). We call the system as Decision System of Plural Production-lines-layout by GA (PPG). PPG decides the efficient layout of production line by using GA, work-flow-line acquired by Chameleon...
Research Article

Developing a Dividual Model Using a Modular Neural Network for Human-Robot Interaction

Toshiyuki Tanaka, Kunikazu Kobayashi
Pages: 34 - 39
Currently, in the field of human-robot interaction (HRI), robots have a problem that can only interact the same at all times with humans. In this paper, therefore, we introduce the concept called a dividual and build a model of the dividual to grow through interactions with others. In addition, using...
Research Article

Training Autoencoder using Three Different Reversed Color Models for Anomaly Detection

Obada Al aama, Hakaru Tamukoh
Pages: 35 - 40
Autoencoders (AEs) have been applied in several applications such as anomaly detectors and object recognition systems. However, although the recent neural networks have relatively high accuracy but sometimes false detection may occur. This paper introduces AE as an anomaly detector. The proposed AE is...
Research Article

A System for Facial Expression Analysis of a Person While Using Video Phone

Taro Asada, Yasunari Yoshitomi, Ryota Kato, Masayoshi Tabuse, Jin Narumoto
Pages: 37 - 40
We developed a method for analyzing the facial expressions of a person having a conversation on a videophone. This was implemented on a wireless local area network, consisting of two personal computers and a router; the subject and the operator are placed in front of each computer. The module contains...
Research Article

Facial Expression Analysis and its Visualization While Writing Messages

Yasunari Yoshitomi, Taro Asada, Kenta Mori, Ryoichi Shimada, Yuiko Yano, Masayoshi Tabuse
Pages: 37 - 40
We have developed a real-time system for expressing emotion as a pictograph selected according to the facial expression while writing a message. The image signal is analyzed by our real-time system using image processing software (OpenCV) and a previously proposed feature parameter. We applied the system...
Research Article

Design and Implementation of in-Home Real-Time Wireless Fever Monitoring in Pediatrics during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ali S. Al-Mejrad
Pages: 37 - 40
Fever is one of the most common concern to be taken care by parents which sometimes force them to bring their children to the hospital emergency for continuous following up especially at night when sleeping. Fever is defined when the rectal temperature reaches over 38.0°C (100.4°F). Temperatures measured...
Research Article

Image Processing for Picking Task of Random Ordered PET Drinking Bottles

Chen Zhu, Takafumi Matsumaru
Pages: 38 - 41
In this research, six brands of soft drinks are decided to be picked up by a robot with a monocular Red Green Blue (RGB) camera. The drinking bottles need to be located and classified with brands before being picked up. The Mask Regional Convolutional Neural Network (R-CNN), a mask generation network...
Research Article

Finite-time Stabilization for Nonholonomic Chained Form Systems with Communication Delay

Hengjun Zhang, Chaoli Wang, Gang Wang
Pages: 39 - 44
In this paper, the problem of finite-time stabilization is developed for nonholonomic chained form systems with communication delay in the input. The finite-time control laws are presented by utilizing the switching control strategy and the theory of finite-time stability, which can make the states of...
Research Article

Reinforcement Learning with Symbiotic Relationships for Multiagent Environments

Shingo Mabu, Masanao Obayashi, Takashi Kuremoto
Pages: 40 - 45
Multiagent systems, where many agents work together to achieve their objectives, and cooperative behaviors between agents need to be realized, have been widely studied In this paper, a new reinforcement learning framework considering the concept of “Symbiosis” in order to represent complicated relationships...
Research Article

UNARM System to Decide Units Locations of Cell-type Assembly Machines with Dual Arm Robots

Hidehiko Yamamoto, Hirotaka Moribe, Takayoshi Yamada
Pages: 41 - 44
This study develops the system called UNARM which assists the unit placement decision of the automatic assembling equipment to assemble efficiently. The unit is a part supply or a robot hand constituting assembling equipment. It is the system which decides these unit placements where of the assembling...
Research Article

Development of Type Control Guidelines for the Old Town District of Hsinchu City

Yi-Yin Tsai
Pages: 41 - 44
The concept of “Building Type Control” was employed to establish hierarchical design guidelines for the urban regeneration process. GIS was used to manage and map environmental database as visual reference tool. Existing building regulations and urban design policies were reviewed to set out limitation...
Research Article

Improving EEG-based BCI Neural Networks for Mobile Robot Control by Bayesian Optimization

Takuya Hayakawa, Jun Kobayashi
Pages: 41 - 44
The aim of this study is to improve classification performance of neural networks as an EEG-based BCI for mobile robot control by means of hyperparameter optimization in training the neural networks. The hyperparameters were intuitively decided in our preceding study. It is expected that the classification...
Research Article

Verification of a Combination of Gestures Accurately Recognized by Myo using Learning Curves

Kengo Kitakura, Hideyuki Tanaka
Pages: 41 - 47
This paper studies verification of a combination of hand gestures recognized by using the Myo armband as an input device. To this end, relationship between data distribution and learning curves is investigated for binary classification and multi-class classification problems. A verification method is...
Research Article

Anomaly Detection Using Support Vector Machines for Time Series Data

Umaporn Yokkampon, Sakmongkon Chumkamon, Abbe Mowshowitz, Ryusuke Fujisawa, Eiji Hayashi
Pages: 41 - 46
Analysis of large data sets is increasingly important in business and scientific research. One of the challenges in such analysis stems from uncertainty in data, which can produce anomalous results. This paper proposes a method for detecting an anomaly in time series data using a Support Vector Machine...
Research Article

Possible Mechanism of Internal Visual Perception: Context-dependent Processing by Predictive Coding and Reservoir Computing Network

Hiroto Tamura, Yuichi Katori, Kazuyuki Aihara
Pages: 42 - 47
The predictive coding is a widely accepted hypothesis on how our internal visual perceptions are generated. Dynamical predictive coding with reservoir computing (PCRC) models have been proposed, but how they work remains to be clarified. Therefore, we first construct a simple PCRC network and analyze...
Research Article

Study on the Improvement of Flexibility for an Industrial Robot Based on Machine Vision

Jiwu Wang, Xianwen Zhang, Weining Zhang, Sugisaka Masanori
Pages: 45 - 48
In order to improve the applications for an industrial robot, it is necessary to increase its flexibility and accuracy. The machine vision technology is an effective solution. In order to reduce the influence of the size, deformation etc., the target extraction method with fusion of color space and moment...
Research Article

Obstacle Avoidance Method for Electric Wheelchairs Based on a Multi-Layered Non-Contact Impedance Model

Haruna Kokubo, Taro Shibanoki, Takaaki Chin, Toshio Tsuji
Pages: 45 - 48
This paper proposes an obstacle avoidance method based on a multi-layered non-contact impedance model for control of the biosignal-based electric wheelchair. The proposed system can calculate a virtual repulsive force before the collision by multi-layered impedance fields covered around it. This system...
Research Article

An Evolutionary Algorithm for Making Decision Graphs for Classification Problems

Shingo Mabu, Masanao Obayashi, Takashi Kuremoto
Pages: 45 - 49
As the exponential increase of data in the world, machine learning, pattern recognition, data mining etc. are attracting more attentions recently. Classification is one of the major research in pattern recognition and a large number of methods have been proposed such as decision trees, neural networks...
Research Article

Development of A Passively Powered Knee Exoskeleton for Squat Lifting

R.K.P.S. Ranaweera, R.A.R.C. Gopura, T.S.S. Jayawardena, G.K.I. Mann
Pages: 45 - 51
This paper proposes a knee exoskeleton with passive-powering mechanism to provide power assistance to the knee joint during squat lifting of objects from the ground. It is designed to capture and store 20% of the biomechanical energy dissipated at the biological knee joint during decent phase and return...
Research Article

A modeling of collaboration mechanism of design process based on Channel Theory

Patchanee Patitad, Hidetsugu Suto
Pages: 46 - 49
Collaboration is one of the effective approaches that help us to share knowledge together and exchange ideas within team members. Sometimes, helpful new knowledge that is not held by the members emerges as a result of the collaboration. Such knowledge often contributes to get prime solutions in the collaboration...
Research Article

Music Recommendation System Driven by Physiological Evaluation Appearing in Fingertip Skin Temperature

Mayuka Wada, Taro Asada, Yasunari Yoshitomi, Masayoshi Tabuse
Pages: 47 - 51
In recent years, music therapy has been performed with the aim at recovering the cognitive function of elderly people. In the previously reported system, it was necessary to input the subjective evaluation of the user to determine the next recommended song. In this study, variations in fingertip skin...
Research Article

Disaster Area Detection from Synthetic Aperture Radar Images Using Convolutional Autoencoder and One-class SVM

Shingo Mabu, Kohki Fujita, Takashi Kuremoto
Pages: 48 - 51
In recent years, research on detecting disaster areas from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images has been conducted. When machine learning is used for disaster area detection, a large number of training data are required; however, we cannot obtain so much training data with correct class labels. Therefore,...
Research Article

Spike Sorting Tool for Analysis of Cardiac Extracellular Signals Recorded by Thin-Film-Transistor Sensor Arrays

Anne-Claire Eiler, Junichi Sugita, Satoshi Ihida, Hiroshi Toshiyoshi, Katsuhito Fujiu, Timothée Levi, Agnès Tixier-Mita
Pages: 48 - 51
The dynamical property of the heart bioelectrical system is closely associated with cardiac diseases. For this reason, there is a growing interest in the development of system analysis for studying the cardiac signaling network. In this article, extracellular potentials of cardiac muscle cells were measured...
Research Article

A model for low-frequency bursts in subthalamic nucleus neurons

Shigeru Kubota, Jonathan E. Rubin
Pages: 49 - 53
Burst firing in subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been suggested to be highly associated with the motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, which result from a loss of dopamine. Although it is clinically very important to clarify the mechanism underlying the bursting dynamics, complex interactions between STN...
Research Article

An Improved Parameter Value Optimization Technique for the Reflectionless Transmission-Line Model of the Cochlea

Takemori Orima, Yoshihiko Horio
Pages: 49 - 52
The passive reflectionless transmission-line model can reproduce physiological cochlear properties. We have applied an optimization technique to obtain good parameter values that give a desired cochlear property. However, we found that, in some case, it is difficult to find the sub-optimal parameter...
Research Article

Self-identification of Mental State and Self-control through Indirect Biofeedback – Indirect Representation and Placebo Effect

Madoka Takahara, Jilin Huang, Ivan Tanev, Katsunori Shimohara
Pages: 50 - 54
This paper describes a possible new scheme for a user with mental health problems to identify his/her own mental state and control it. For that purpose, we propose an indirect biofeedback system which represents physiological information with color and shape, and enables the user to grasp his/her inner...
Research Article

Evaluation of a Narrative Discourse Generation System Based on the Concept of “Norm and Deviation”

Taisuke Akimoto, Takashi Ogata
Pages: 50 - 53
This paper deals with the verification of a narrative discourse system. The system automatically produces a variety of discourse structures from an inputted story structure through an iterative mutual action between a narrator and narratee mechanisms. We analyze a series of generated discourse structures...
Research Article

The Recognition and Implementation of Handwritten Character based on Deep Learning

Fengzhi Dai, Zhongyong Ye, Xia Jin
Pages: 52 - 55
This paper mainly focuses on the recognition of Chinese handwritten characters. By using the deep learning technology, a deep convolution neural network (CNN) is constructed to identify the handwritten character set, and finally gets the network structure that can be used for recognition. By comparing...
Research Article

Design System of Cell Type Assembly Machine with Dual Arms Robot by GA

Hidehiko Yamamoto, Keita Honda, Takayoshi Yamada
Pages: 52 - 55
The purpose of this research is to develop a system named DELUGA which automatically decides by genetic algorithm (GA) where to place a lot of assembled parts, jigs and robot hands in the workstation when designing a cell type assembly machine with a dual arms robot. In DELUGA, since the left and right...
Research Article

An Error Correction Mechanism for Reliable Chemical Communication Systems

Masashi K. Kajita
Pages: 52 - 57
Chemical communication systems, such as bio-inspired chemical sensory systems or biological cells, sense the environment by detecting target ligand molecules, which convey environmental information. However, non-target ligands, similar to the target ones, are ubiquitous in the environment and can hamper...
Research Article

A Sub-Model Detachable Convolutional Neural Network

Ninnart Fuengfusin, Hakaru Tamukoh
Pages: 52 - 55
In this research, we propose a Convolutional Network with sub-Networks (CNSN), i.e., a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) or base-model that can be divided into sub-models on demand. The CNN architecture, entails that feature map shapes are varied throughout the model, therefore, the hidden layer within...
Research Article

Clinical Evaluation of UR-System-PARKO for Recovery of Motor Function of Severe Plegic Hand after Stroke

Hirofumi Tanabe, Yoshifumi Morita
Pages: 53 - 57
The first author has developed TANABE therapy for severe hemiplegic stroke patients. In this paper we developed a training system (UR-System-PARKO) on the basis of TANABE therapy. The clinical test of the therapeutic effect of the UR-System-PARKO was performed in severe plegic hand. The results show...
Research Article

Model Introduced SPRT for Structural Change Detection of Time Series (I) -- Formulation --

Yoshihide Koyama, Tetsuo Hattori, Hiromichi Kawano
Pages: 54 - 59
Previously, we have proposed a method applying Sequential Probability Ratio Test (SPRT) to the structural change detection problem of ongoing time series data. In this paper, we introduce a structural change model with Poisson process into a system that outputs a set of ongoing time series data, moment...
Research Article

Music Recommendation System through Internet for Improving Recognition Ability Using Collaborative Filtering and Impression Words

Yasunari Yoshitomi, Taro Asada, Ryota Kato, Yuuki Yoshimitsu, Masayoshi Tabuse, Noriaki Kuwahara, Jin Narumoto
Pages: 54 - 59
In our previously reported system, after the first music recommendation process using collaborative filtering was terminated, the second recommendation process based on the scores for impression words finds the most similar music to the successfully recommended music among music that has not yet been...
Research Article

Automated Processing of Multiple-Brightness Peak Histogram Image Using Curvature and Variance Estimation

Yusuke Kawakami, Tetsuo Hattori, Yoshiro Imai, Yo Horikawa, Kazuaki Ando, R. P. C. Janaka Rajapakse
Pages: 55 - 60
Previously, we have illustrated that the Histogram Matching based on Gaussian Distribution (HMGD) is an effective automated image processing method for obtaining a better feeling impression image. However, the simple HMGD works only for the image whose histogram has just one peak. For the image whose...
Research Article

Unified Approach to (1 + 1) Evolutionary Algorithm on Discrete Linear Functions

Kenji Aoki, Makoto Sakamoto, Hiroshi Furutani, Satoru Hiwa, Tomoyuki Hiroyasu
Pages: 56 - 59
We consider the runtime property of discrete linear functions in (1 + 1) Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs), Partially Ordered mutation (PO-mutation) and Jansen’s model, Partially Ordered Evolutionary Algorithm (PO-EA). We analyze the process of evolution. This study was motivated by the paper of Jansen treating...
Research Article

Technique of Recovery Process and Application of AI in Error Recovery Using Task Stratification and Error Classification

Akira Nakamura, Kazuyuki Nagata, Kensuke Harada, Natsuki Yamanobe
Pages: 56 - 62
We have proposed an error recovery method using the concepts of task stratification and error classification. In this paper, the recovery process after the judgment of error is described in detail. In particular, we explain how to change the parameters of planning, modeling, and sensing when error recovery...
Research Article

Kinematic Modeling and Simulation of Dual-Arm Robot

Jiwu Wang, Junxiang Xu
Pages: 56 - 59
In recent years, dual-arm robots have attracted more and more attention due to their advantages such as strong cooperation ability and high flexibility. With the improvement of real-time requirement of dual-arm cooperation, the inverse kinematics solution of robot becomes a key problem to be solved urgently....
Research Article

A Multistage Heuristic Tuning Algorithm for an Analog Silicon Neuron Circuit

Ethan Green, Takashi Kohno
Pages: 58 - 61
This research looks at an ultra-low power subthreshold-operated silicon neuron circuit designed with qualitative neuronal modeling. One technical challenge to future implementation of such circuits is parameter tuning — a problem stemming from temperature sensitivity of subthreshold-operated MOSFETs...