Following the 9/11 attacks, teams of robots were called to Following the 9/11 attacks, teams of robots were called to Ground Zero to aid in the rescue effort. These teams came Ground Zero to aid in the rescue effort. These teams came from different organizations across the country. Robots were from different organizations across the country. Robots were heterogeneousheterogeneous, varying in shape, size, and functionality., varying in shape, size, and functionality.

Each robot was assigned an objective on the team; Each robot was assigned an objective on the team; however, they did not communicate or demonstrate however, they did not communicate or demonstrate teamwork. How can diverse robots forming such an teamwork. How can diverse robots forming such an impromptu teamimpromptu team collaborate to accomplish a joint objective? collaborate to accomplish a joint objective?

Impromptu Teams of Heterogeneous Mobile RobotsImpromptu Teams of Heterogeneous Mobile RobotsRoss Mead and Jerry B. WeinbergRoss Mead and Jerry B. Weinberg

IntroductionIntroduction

Bowling & McCracken (2005) defines “[the] problem of Bowling & McCracken (2005) defines “[the] problem of coordination in impromptu teams, where a team is coordination in impromptu teams, where a team is composed of independent agents each unknown to the composed of independent agents each unknown to the others.” Based on RoboCup soccer, a single pickup player others.” Based on RoboCup soccer, a single pickup player attempts to join a coordinated team. This is implemented in attempts to join a coordinated team. This is implemented in simulation.simulation.

A multi-layered approach to heterogeneous teams is A multi-layered approach to heterogeneous teams is discussed and implemented in Balch & Parker (2002). They discussed and implemented in Balch & Parker (2002). They successfully demonstrate the layered system on a pair of successfully demonstrate the layered system on a pair of two heterogeneous robots. The symbolic communication two heterogeneous robots. The symbolic communication improves the efficiency of completing the given objective, but improves the efficiency of completing the given objective, but is simplified to a single symbol.is simplified to a single symbol.

Long & Murphy (2005) propose the use of a persona Long & Murphy (2005) propose the use of a persona ontology that would make possible semantic interoperability ontology that would make possible semantic interoperability of domain knowledge, allowing for robot teams to quickly of domain knowledge, allowing for robot teams to quickly adapt to new tasks.adapt to new tasks.

Background & Literature ReviewBackground & Literature Review

ApproachApproach

ReferencesReferences

Robot InteractionRobot InteractionWe propose aWe propose a symbolic communication protocol to represent symbolic communication protocol to represent

physical concepts. Symbols are communicated to an physical concepts. Symbols are communicated to an ontologyontology--based Agent Interaction Manager (AIM) to coordinate activities. based Agent Interaction Manager (AIM) to coordinate activities. This approach is inspired by the This approach is inspired by the Semantic WebSemantic Web, which gives , which gives information well-defined meaning by relating it to corresponding information well-defined meaning by relating it to corresponding entities in the real world (entities in the real world (Semantic WebSemantic Web, 2006)., 2006).

Communication & ModelingCommunication & ModelingA series of ontologies have been developed, each containing A series of ontologies have been developed, each containing

categories of concepts that refer to entities in the physical world. categories of concepts that refer to entities in the physical world. Objectives can be expressed symbolically through combinations Objectives can be expressed symbolically through combinations of relationships between concepts and other symbols.of relationships between concepts and other symbols.

Symbols are related to a robot’s own representation by its Symbols are related to a robot’s own representation by its programmer, who selects the corresponding concepts from the programmer, who selects the corresponding concepts from the appropriate ontologies. These concepts are used to define an appropriate ontologies. These concepts are used to define an agent modelagent model of the robot. The of the robot. The clientclient robot communicates its robot communicates its known concepts to the AIM known concepts to the AIM serverserver, which is then responsible for , which is then responsible for organizing models and recognizing shared concepts.organizing models and recognizing shared concepts.

A sample symbol representing a goal state of a robot A sample symbol representing a goal state of a robot RR11 is is

given in section agiven in section a11 below. The goal is expressed symbolically below. The goal is expressed symbolically

by utilizing and extending concepts that exist within the by utilizing and extending concepts that exist within the specified ontologies (section c). The newly-defined goal specified ontologies (section c). The newly-defined goal concept, as well as any others, is maintained by AIM within concept, as well as any others, is maintained by AIM within the agent model of Rthe agent model of R11 (section b (section b11). If the necessary concepts ). If the necessary concepts

are defined or inferred (by AIM) to be within the agent model are defined or inferred (by AIM) to be within the agent model of a robot of a robot RR22 (section b (section b22), then both robots can attempt to ), then both robots can attempt to

accomplish the goal. When a robot reports its current accomplish the goal. When a robot reports its current perceptual state and AIM determines, through inference, that perceptual state and AIM determines, through inference, that any part of this state is equivalent to the goal state, it reports any part of this state is equivalent to the goal state, it reports that the objective has been reached (see inference from that the objective has been reached (see inference from section asection a22 to a to a11). It follows that, if R). It follows that, if R11 was unable to perceive was unable to perceive

color, the request for assistance to Rcolor, the request for assistance to R22 was necessary to was necessary to

accomplish the goal.accomplish the goal.

The AIM server and communication protocol are being The AIM server and communication protocol are being implemented in Java and tested on a team of three different implemented in Java and tested on a team of three different ActivMedia robots.ActivMedia robots.

ClientClient11

AgentModelAgentModel

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AgentManagerAgentManager

AIMServerAIMServer

OntologiesOntologies

• Balch, T. & Parker, L. 2002. Balch, T. & Parker, L. 2002. Robot Teams: From Diversity to PolymorphismRobot Teams: From Diversity to Polymorphism, A K , A K Peters, Ltd., Natick, Massachusetts.Peters, Ltd., Natick, Massachusetts.

• Bowling, M. & McCracken, P. 2005. “Coordination and Adaptation in Impromptu Bowling, M. & McCracken, P. 2005. “Coordination and Adaptation in Impromptu Teams,” In the Proceedings of AAAI-05. Teams,” In the Proceedings of AAAI-05.

• Long, M. & Murphy, R. 2005. “A Proposed Approach to Semantic Integration Long, M. & Murphy, R. 2005. “A Proposed Approach to Semantic Integration between Robot and Agent Systems,” In the Proceedings of AAAI-05.between Robot and Agent Systems,” In the Proceedings of AAAI-05.

• Semantic WebSemantic Web. Ed. Eric Miller, . Ed. Eric Miller, et al.et al. 8 March 2006. W3C. 11 March 2006. 8 March 2006. W3C. 11 March 2006. http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/..

• Westphal, S. 2001. “Robots join search and rescue teams”, New Scientist Westphal, S. 2001. “Robots join search and rescue teams”, New Scientist (Online) 19 September 2001. 09 March 2006. (Online) 19 September 2001. 09 March 2006. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn1321..

ObjectivesObjectivesIf robots are to organize and work together, a language If robots are to organize and work together, a language

must be developed that allows them to share knowledge in a must be developed that allows them to share knowledge in a meaningful way. For consistent interpretation of meaningful way. For consistent interpretation of communicated knowledge within a team, communicated knowledge within a team, symbolssymbols representing the knowledge must be described in terms of representing the knowledge must be described in terms of physical physical conceptsconcepts. By representing the robot’s abilities, . By representing the robot’s abilities, perceptions, and goals as these symbols, the robot can perceptions, and goals as these symbols, the robot can share information with others based on the agreed concepts.share information with others based on the agreed concepts.

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OntologiesOntologiesKeyKey

explicit relationshipsexplicit relationshipsinferred relationshipsinferred relationships

SoftwareSoftware

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http://roboti.cs.siue.edu/projects/impromptu_teamsAAAI-07AAAI-07