Visual Tracking in Conventional Minimally Invasive Surgery introduces the various tools and methodologies that can be used to enhance a conventional surgical setup with some degree of automation. The main focus of this book is on methods for tracking surgical tools and how they can be used to assist the surgeon during the surgical operation. Various notions associated with surgeon-computer interfaces and image-guided navigation are explored, with a range of experimental results. The book starts with some basic motivations for minimally invasive surgery and states the various distinctions between robotic and non-robotic (conventional) versions of this procedure. Common components of this type of operation are presented with a review of the literature addressing the automation aspects of such a setup. Examples of tracking results are shown for both motion and gesture recognition of surgical tools, which can be used as part of the surgeon-computer interface. In the case of marker-less tracking, where no special visual markers can be added to the surgical tools, the tracking results are divided into two types of methodology, depending on the nature and the estimate of the visual noise. Details of the tracking methods are presented using standard Kalman filters and particle filters. The last part of the book provides approaches for tracking a region on the surgical scene defined by the surgeon. Examples of how these tracking approaches can be used as part of image-guided navigation are demonstrated. This book is designed for control engineers interested in visual tracking, computer vision researchers and system designers involved with surgical automation, as well as surgeons, biomedical engineers, and robotic researchers.

The kimono-clad android robot that recently made its debut as the new greeter at the entrance of Tokyo's Mitsukoshi department store is just one example of the rapid advancements being made in the field of robotics. Cognitive robotics is an approach to creating artificial intelligence in robots by enabling them to learn from and respond to real-world situations, as opposed to pre-programming the robot with specific responses to every conceivable stimulus. Presenting the contributions of international experts from various disciplines within the field, Cognitive Robotics provides novel material and discusses advanced approaches in the field of intelligent robotics. It explains the various aspects of the topic to provide readers with a solid foundation on the subject. This edited collection presents theoretical research in cognitive robotics. It takes a multidisciplinary approach that considers the artificial intelligence, physical, chemical, philosophical, psychological, social, cultural, and ethical aspects of this rapidly emerging field. The editor is a prominent researcher whose Lovotics research into emotional bonds with robots is widely recognized. Supplying an accessible introduction to cognitive robotics, the book considers computational intelligence for cognitive robotics based on informationally structured space. It examines how people respond to robots and what makes robots psychologically appealing to humans. The book contextualizes concepts in the history of studies on intelligence theories and includes case studies of different types of robots in action. Although ideal for robotics researchers and professionals, this book is also suitable for use as a supporting textbook in advanced robotics courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Numerical Algorithms: Methods for Computer Vision, Machine Learning, and Graphics presents a new approach to numerical analysis for modern computer scientists. Using examples from a broad base of computational tasks, including data processing, computational photography, and animation, the textbook introduces numerical modeling and algorithmic design from a practical standpoint and provides insight into the theoretical tools needed to support these skills. The book covers a wide range of topics-from numerical linear algebra to optimization and differential equations-focusing on real-world motivation and unifying themes. It incorporates cases from computer science research and practice, accompanied by highlights from in-depth literature on each subtopic. Comprehensive end-of-chapter exercises encourage critical thinking and build students' intuition while introducing extensions of the basic material. The text is designed for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in computer science and related fields with experience in calculus and linear algebra. For students with a background in discrete mathematics, the book includes some reminders of relevant continuous mathematical background.

This book provides theoretical and practical knowledge on AI and swarm intelligence. It provides a methodology for EA (evolutionary algorithm)-based approach for complex adaptive systems with the integration of several meta-heuristics, e.g., ACO (Ant Colony Optimization), ABC (Artificial Bee Colony), and PSO (Particle Swarm Optimization), etc. These developments contribute towards better problem-solving methodologies in AI. The book also covers emerging uses of swarm intelligence in applications such as complex adaptive systems, reaction-diffusion computing, and diffusion-limited aggregation, etc. Another emphasis is its real-world applications. We give empirical examples from real-world problems and show that the proposed approaches are successful when addressing tasks from such areas as swarm robotics, silicon traffics, image understanding, Vornoi diagrams, queuing theory, and slime intelligence, etc. Each chapter begins with the background of the problem followed by the current state-of-the-art techniques of the field, and ends with a detailed discussion. In addition, the simulators, based on optimizers such as PSO and ABC complex adaptive system simulation, are described in detail. These simulators, as well as some source codes, are available online on the author's website for the benefit of readers interested in getting some hands-on experience of the subject. The concepts presented in this book aim to promote and facilitate the effective research in swarm intelligence approaches in both theory and practice. This book would also be of value to other readers because it covers interdisciplinary research topics that encompass problem-solving tasks in AI, complex adaptive systems, and meta-heuristics.

In this book, we have set up a unified analytical framework for various human-robot systems, which involve peer-peer interactions (either space-sharing or time-sharing) or hierarchical interactions. A methodology in designing the robot behavior through control, planning, decision and learning is proposed. In particular, the following topics are discussed in-depth: safety during human-robot interactions, efficiency in real-time robot motion planning, imitation of human behaviors from demonstration, dexterity of robots to adapt to different environments and tasks, cooperation among robots and humans with conflict resolution. These methods are applied in various scenarios, such as human-robot collaborative assembly, robot skill learning from human demonstration, interaction between autonomous and human-driven vehicles, etc. Key Features: Proposes a unified framework to model and analyze human-robot interactions under different modes of interactions. Systematically discusses the control, decision and learning algorithms to enable robots to interact safely with humans in a variety of applications. Presents numerous experimental studies with both industrial collaborative robot arms and autonomous vehicles.

This book endeavours to highlight the untapped potential of Smart Agriculture for the innovation and expansion of the agriculture sector. The sector shall make incremental progress as it learns from associations between data over time through Artificial Intelligence, deep learning and Internet of Things applications. The farming industry and Smart agriculture develop from the stringent limits imposed by a farm's location, which in turn has a series of related effects with respect to supply chain management, food availability, biodiversity, farmers' decision-making and insurance, and environmental concerns among others. All of the above-mentioned aspects will derive substantial benefits from the implementation of a data-driven approach under the condition that the systems, tools and techniques to be used have been designed to handle the volume and variety of the data to be gathered. Contributions to this book have been solicited with the goal of uncovering the possibilities of engaging agriculture with equipped and effective profound learning algorithms. Most agricultural research centres are already adopting Internet of Things for the monitoring of a wide range of farm services, and there are significant opportunities for agriculture administration through the effective implementation of Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Big Data and IoT structures.

Behavior Trees (BTs) provide a way to structure the behavior of an artificial agent such as a robot or a non-player character in a computer game. Traditional design methods, such as finite state machines, are known to produce brittle behaviors when complexity increases, making it very hard to add features without breaking existing functionality. BTs were created to address this very problem, and enables the creation of systems that are both modular and reactive. Behavior Trees in Robotics and AI: An Introduction provides a broad introduction as well as an in-depth exploration of the topic, and is the first comprehensive book on the use of BTs. This book introduces the subject of BTs from simple topics, such as semantics and design principles, to complex topics, such as learning and task planning. For each topic, the authors provide a set of examples, ranging from simple illustrations to realistic complex behaviors, to enable the reader to successfully combine theory with practice. Starting with an introduction to BTs, the book then describes how BTs relate to, and in many cases, generalize earlier switching structures, or control architectures. These ideas are then used as a foundation for a set of efficient and easy to use design principles. The book then presents a set of important extensions and provides a set of tools for formally analyzing these extensions using a state space formulation of BTs. With the new analysis tools, the book then formalizes the descriptions of how BTs generalize earlier approaches and shows how BTs can be automatically generated using planning and learning. The final part of the book provides an extended set of tools to capture the behavior of Stochastic BTs, where the outcomes of actions are described by probabilities. These tools enable the computation of both success probabilities and time to completion. This book targets a broad audience, including both students and professionals interested in modeling complex behaviors for robots, game characters, or other AI agents. Readers can choose at which depth and pace they want to learn the subject, depending on their needs and background.

Despite increasing scholarly attention to artificial intelligence (AI), studies at the intersection of AI and communication remain ripe for exploration, including investigations of the social, political, cultural, and ethical aspects of machine intelligence, interactions among agents, and social artifacts. This book tackles these unexplored research areas with special emphasis on conditions, components, and consequences of cognitive, attitudinal, affective, and behavioural dimensions toward communication and AI. In doing so, this book epitomizes communication, journalism and media scholarship on AI and its social, political, cultural, and ethical perspectives. Topics vary widely from interactions between humans and robots through news representation of AI and AI-based news credibility to privacy and value toward AI in the public sphere. Contributors from such countries as Brazil, Netherland, South Korea, Spain, and United States discuss important issues and challenges in AI and communication studies. The collection of chapters in the book considers implications for not only theoretical and methodological approaches, but policymakers and practitioners alike. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Communication Studies.

Human-Robot Interaction in Social Robotics explores important issues in designing a robot system that works with people in everyday environments. Edited by leading figures in the field of social robotics, it draws on contributions by researchers working on the Robovie project at the ATR Intelligent Robotics and Communication Laboratories, a world leader in humanoid interactive robotics. The book brings together, in one volume, technical and empirical research that was previously scattered throughout the literature. Taking a networked robot approach, the book examines how robots work in cooperation with ubiquitous sensors and people over telecommunication networks. It considers the use of social robots in daily life, grounding the work in field studies conducted at a school, train station, shopping mall, and science museum. Critical in the development of network robots, these usability studies allow researchers to discover real issues that need to be solved and to understand what kinds of services are possible. The book tackles key areas where development is needed, namely, in sensor networks for tracking humans and robots, humanoids that can work in everyday environments, and functions for interacting with people. It introduces a sensor network developed by the authors and discusses innovations in the Robovie humanoid, including several interactive behaviors and design policies. Exploring how humans interact with robots in daily life settings, this book offers valuable insight into how robots may be used in the future. The combination of engineering, empirical, and field studies provides readers with rich information to guide in developing practical interactive robots.

New technologies that allow us to investigate mechanisms and functions of the brain have shown considerable promise in treating brain disease and injury. These emerging technologies also provide a means to assess and manipulate human consciousness, cognitions, emotions, and behaviors, bringing with them the potential to transform society. Neurotechnology: Premises, Potential, and Problems explores the technical, moral, legal, and sociopolitical issues that arise in and from today s applications of neuroscience and technology and discusses their implications for the future.

Some of the issues raised in this thought-provoking volume include:

• Neurotechnology in education: an enablement, a treatment, or an enhancement?
• The potential and limitations of neuroimaging technology in determining patient prognoses
• Tissue implantation technology as a way of engendering personalized medicine
• Neuroprostheses: restoration of functions of the disabled vs. enhancement to transhuman capabilities
• Deep brain stimulation and its use in restoring, preserving, or changing patients personal identity
• The benefit and risk of cognitive performance tools
• Cyborg technology and its potential to change our vision of humanity
• Methodologies for reducing the risk of neurotechnology s impact on ethical, legal, and social issues

With contributions from an international group of experts working on the cutting edge of neurotechnology, this volume lays the groundwork to appreciate the ethical, legal, and social aspects of the science in ways that keep pace with this rapidly progressing field.

Robotic engineering inspired by biology-biomimetics-has many potential applications: robot snakes can be used for rescue operations in disasters, snake-like endoscopes can be used in medical diagnosis, and artificial muscles can replace damaged muscles to recover the motor functions of human limbs. Conversely, the application of robotics technology to our understanding of biological systems and behaviors-biorobotic modeling and analysis-provides unique research opportunities: robotic manipulation technology with optical tweezers can be used to study the cell mechanics of human red blood cells, a surface electromyography sensing system can help us identify the relation between muscle forces and hand movements, and mathematical models of brain circuitry may help us understand how the cerebellum achieves movement control. Biologically Inspired Robotics contains cutting-edge material-considerably expanded and with additional analysis-from the 2009 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO). These 16 chapters cover both biomimetics and biorobotic modeling/analysis, taking readers through an exploration of biologically inspired robot design and control, micro/nano bio-robotic systems, biological measurement and actuation, and applications of robotics technology to biological problems. Contributors examine a wide range of topics, including: A method for controlling the motion of a robotic snake The design of a bionic fitness cycle inspired by the jaguar The use of autonomous robotic fish to detect pollution A noninvasive brain-activity scanning method using a hybrid sensor A rehabilitation system for recovering motor function in human hands after injury Human-like robotic eye and head movements in human-machine interactions A state-of-the-art resource for graduate students and researchers.

Understanding Geometric Algebra: Hamilton, Grassmann, and Clifford for Computer Vision and Graphics introduces geometric algebra with an emphasis on the background mathematics of Hamilton, Grassmann, and Clifford. It shows how to describe and compute geometry for 3D modeling applications in computer graphics and computer vision. Unlike similar texts, this book first gives separate descriptions of the various algebras and then explains how they are combined to define the field of geometric algebra. It starts with 3D Euclidean geometry along with discussions as to how the descriptions of geometry could be altered if using a non-orthogonal (oblique) coordinate system. The text focuses on Hamilton's quaternion algebra, Grassmann's outer product algebra, and Clifford algebra that underlies the mathematical structure of geometric algebra. It also presents points and lines in 3D as objects in 4D in the projective geometry framework; explores conformal geometry in 5D, which is the main ingredient of geometric algebra; and delves into the mathematical analysis of camera imaging geometry involving circles and spheres. With useful historical notes and exercises, this book gives readers insight into the mathematical theories behind complicated geometric computations. It helps readers understand the foundation of today's geometric algebra.

This book discusses the radical technological changes occurring due to Industry 4.0, with a focus on offering a better understanding of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It also presents a detailed analysis of interdisciplinary knowledge, numerical modeling and simulation, and the application of cyber-physical systems, where information technology and physical devices create synergic systems leading to unprecedented efficiency. The book focuses on industrial applications of automation and robotics. It covers recent developments and trends occurring in both computer-aided manufacturing techniques, as well as computer-aided assembly techniques. Robots using embedded systems and artificial intelligence applications are also covered. Industrial Automation and Robotics: Techniques and Applications offers theoretical results, practical solutions, and guidelines that are valuable for both researchers and those working in the area of engineering.

This book will help readers to understand the concepts of computational intelligence in automation industries, industrial IoT (IIOT), cognitive systems, data science, and Ecommerce real time applications. The book: Covers computational intelligence in automation industries, industrial IoT (IIOT) , cognitive systems and medical Imaging Discusses intelligent robotics applications with the integration of automation and artificial intelligence Covers foundations of the mathematical concepts applied in robotics and industry automation applications Provides application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the area of computational intelligence The text covers important topics including computational intelligence mathematical modeling, cognitive manufacturing in industry 4.0, artificial intelligence algorithms in robot development, collaborative robots and industrial IoT (IIoT), medical imaging, and multi-robot systems. The text will be useful for graduate students, professional and academic researchers in the fields of electrical engineering, electronics and communication engineering, and computer science. Discussing the advantages of the integrated platform of industry automation, robotics and computational intelligence, this text will be useful for graduate students, professional and academic researchers in the fields of electrical engineering, electronics and communication engineering, and computer science. It enlightens the foundations of the mathematical concepts applied in robotics and industry automation applications.

Revised and updated, the second edition includes several new chapters with projects and applications. The authors keep pace with the ever-growing and rapidly expanding field of robotics. The new edition reflects technological developments and includes programs and activities for robot enthusiasts. Using photographs, illustrations, and informative text, Mobile Robots guides the reader through the step-by-step process of constructing two different and inexpensive yet fully functional robots.

There are many myths and mistakes which make the topics of artificial intelligence complex and confusing. But the truth is that the foundations of AI are not rocket science. People do not need a PhD to understand how a basic neural network works. In fact, one does not even need computer skills to learn this. Cunning Machines: Your Pocket Guide to the World of Artificial Intelligence explains the main concepts: what does AI really mean, where do we find it, how do scientists try to evaluate it, what are its main limitations and what future we can expect with it? It also describes the most popular AI techniques in an easy-to-digest form: Artificial neural networks Genetic algorithms The Monte Carlo method Natural language processing Ontologies and their applications This book is for everyone. Still, it may be especially valuable to teachers who wish to enrich their classes with some interesting and popular topics, sales managers and business analysts who wish to better understand the IT world, and finally politicians and journalists who take part in debates on the latest technologies. Jedrzej Osinski earned a PhD in artificial intelligence, has worked on government grants and has published 14 scientific papers to date. He is also the co-author of two books. At the same time, he has over ten years of experience working in IT companies of different sizes, domains (the web, telecoms, banking, e-learning), organisation structures and locations (Poland, Ireland and the UK). He is also involved in various initiatives promoting AI, science and modern technologies including blog posts, invited talks and TV and radio appearances

Intelligent Systems and Robotics focuses on new developments in robotics and intelligent systems and provides insight, guidance and specific techniques vital to those concerned with the design and implementation of robotics and intelligent system applications. Intelligent Systems and Robotics presents information on a 3-D vision for robots and intelligent control of a vision-based reasoning system with a robot manipulator. The reader will find authoritative presentations on autonomous land vehicle navigation, manipulator reachable workspace problems and the formulation of algorithms for their solution. Covered are methods for medical applications utilizing expert adaptive control, the integrated piezoelectric sensor/actuator design for distributed identification and control of smart machines, including theory, experiments, finite element formulation and analysis. Automatic repair of aircraft transparencies and geometric modeling utilized in robot task planning as well as the evaluation of standard fieldbus networks utilized in the factory environment are presented.

This book examines the Arabic conflict resolution method known as "sulha." In this process, notable male elders mediate conflicts between and within Arab communities. A lengthy process of political jockeying culminates in a ceremony that peaks when "enemies" shake hands and publicly forgive the crimes of the other. The reality of actual sulha deviates considerably from the ideal, but both the official framework and the actual events point to a deep seated valorization of peace and reconciliation in Israeli-Palestinian society.

Algorithms that control the computational processes relating sensors and actuators are indispensable for robot navigation and the perception of the world in which they move. Therefore, a deep understanding of how algorithms work to achieve this control is essential for the development of efficient and usable robots in a broad field of applications. An interdisciplinary group of scientists gathers every two years to document the progress in algorithmic foundations of robotics. This volume addresses in particular the areas of control theory, computational and differential geometry in robotics, and applications to core problems such as motion planning, navigation, sensor-based planning, and manipulation.

A WALL STREET JOURNAL, WASHINGTON POST, AND FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR In this ground-breaking blend of imaginative storytelling and scientific forecasting, a pioneering AI expert and a leading writer of speculative fiction join forces to answer an imperative question: How will artificial intelligence change our world within twenty years? AI will be the defining development of the twenty-first century. Within two decades, aspects of daily human life will be unrecognizable. AI will generate unprecedented wealth, revolutionize medicine and education through human-machine symbiosis, and create brand new forms of communication and entertainment. In liberating us from routine work, however, AI will also challenge the organizing principles of our economic and social order. Meanwhile, AI will bring new risks in the form of autonomous weapons and smart technology that inherits human bias. AI is at a tipping point, and people need to wake up-both to AI's radiant pathways and its existential perils for life as we know it. In this provocative, utterly original work of "scientific fiction," Kai-Fu Lee, the former president of Google China and bestselling author of AI Superpowers, joins forces with celebrated novelist Chen Qiufan to imagine our world in 2041 and how it will be shaped by AI. In ten gripping short stories, set twenty years in the future, they introduce readers to an array of eye-opening 2041 settings: In San Francisco, a new industry, "job reallocation," arises to serve displaced workers In Tokyo, a music fan is swept up in an immersive form of celebrity worship In Mumbai, a teenage girl rebels when AI gets in the way of romance In Seoul, virtual teachers offer orphaned twins new ways to learn and connect In Munich, a rogue quantum computer scientist's revenge plot imperils the world By gazing toward a not-so-distant horizon, AI 2041 offers urgent insights into our collective future-while reminding readers that, ultimately, humankind remains the author of its destiny.

Takes an interdisciplinary approach to contribute to the ongoing development of human-AI interaction. Current debate and development of AI is "algorithm-driven" or technical-oriented in lieu of human-centered. At present, there is no systematic interdisciplinary discussion to effectively deal with issues and challenges arising from AI. This book offers critical analysis of the logic and social implications of algorithmic processes. Reporting from the processes of scientific research, the results can be useful for understanding the relationship between algorithms and humans, allowing AI designers to assess the quality of the meaningful interactions with AI systems.

Bipedal locomotion is among the most difficult challenges in control engineering. Most books treat the subject from a quasi-static perspective, overlooking the hybrid nature of bipedal mechanics. Feedback Control of Dynamic Bipedal Robot Locomotion is the first book to present a comprehensive and mathematically sound treatment of feedback design for achieving stable, agile, and efficient locomotion in bipedal robots. In this unique and groundbreaking treatise, expert authors lead you systematically through every step of the process, including: -Mathematical modeling of walking and running gaits in planar robots -Analysis of periodic orbits in hybrid systems -Design and analysis of feedback systems for achieving stable periodic motions -Algorithms for synthesizing feedback controllers -Detailed simulation examples -Experimental implementations on two bipedal test beds The elegance of the authors' approach is evident in the marriage of control theory and mechanics, uniting control-based presentation and mathematical custom with a mechanics-based approach to the problem and computational rendering. Concrete examples and numerous illustrations complement and clarify the mathematical discussion. A supporting Web site offers links to videos of several experiments along with MATLAB(R) code for several of the models. This one-of-a-kind book builds a solid understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of truly dynamic locomotion in planar bipedal robots.

The text focuses on the basics of Python programming fundamentals and introduction to present-day applications in technology and the upcoming state-of-art trends in a comprehensive manner. The text is based on Python 3.x and it covers the fundamentals of Python with object-oriented concepts having numerous worked-out examples. It provides a learning tool for the students of beginner level as well as for researchers of advanced level. Each chapter contains additional examples that explain the usage of methods/functions discussed in the chapter. It provides numerous programming examples along with their outputs. The book: Includes programming tips to highlight the important concepts and help readers avoid common programming errors Provides programming examples along with their outputs to ensure the correctness and help readers in mastering the art of writing efficient Python programs Contains MCQs with their answers; conceptual questions and programming questions; and solutions to some selected programming questions, for every chapter Discusses applications like time zone converter and password generators at the end Covers fundamental of Python up to object oriented concepts including regular expression The book offers a simple and lucid treatment of concepts supported with illustrations for easy understanding, provides numerous programming examples along with their outputs, and includes programming tips to highlight the important concepts. It will be a valuable resource for senior undergraduate, graduate students, and professionals in the fields of electrical engineering, electronics and communication engineering, and computer engineering.

An all-in-one resource for designing and implementing embedded control in mobile robotics In Embedded Control for Mobile Robotic Applications, a distinguished trio of researchers delivers an authoritative and fulsome resource for understanding embedded control and robotics. The book includes coverage of a variety of embedded platforms, their use in controller implementation, stability analyses of designed controllers, and two new approaches for designing embedded controllers. The authors offer a full chapter on Field-Programmable-Gate-Array (FPGA) architecture development for controller design that is perfect for both practitioners and students taking robotics courses and provide a companion website that includes MATLAB codes for simulation and embedded platform-specific code for mobile robotic applications (in Embedded C and Verilog). The two approaches discussed by the authors--the top-down methodology and the bottom-up methodology--are of immediate practical utility to both practicing professionals in the field and students studying control applications and mobile robotics. The book also offers: A thorough introduction to embedded control, including processor, IC, and design technology, as well as a discussion of limitations in embedded control design Comprehensive explorations of the bottom-up and top-down methods, including computations using CORDIC, interval arithmetic, sliding surface design, and switched nonlinear systems Practical discussions of generic FPGA architecture design, including Verilog, PID controllers, DC motors and Encoder, and a systematic approach for designing architecture using FSMD In-depth examinations of discrete-time controller design, including the approximation to discrete-time transfer function and embedded implementation stability Perfect for practitioners working in embedded control design and control applications in robotics, Embedded Control for Mobile Robotic Applications will also earn a place in the libraries of academicians, researchers, senior undergraduate students, and graduate students in these fields.