ISRWiki - User contributions [en]

MAIS-S

2011-10-14T11:24:38Z

Mtjspaan:

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[[Image:LogoINESC-ID.jpg|center]][[Image:Logo_IST_color.png|center|100px]]
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MAIS-S, '''Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System''', is a research project in the [http://www.cmuportugal.org/ CMU-Portugal program] and addresses the problem of planning in decentralized multiagent systems in the context of intelligent surveillance networks. The project involves the collaborative effort of two Portuguese institutions, INESC-ID (Porto Salvo, Portugal) and IST/ISR (Lisbon, Portugal), the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA, US), as well as Observit (Lisbon), a Portuguese company with extensive experience in surveillance systems.

For more information, see the [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/mais-s '''main MAIS-S web page'''] at INESC-ID.

==Abstract==

With the generalized use of intelligent technology, the interaction between multiple smart devices poses interesting
challenges both in terms of engineering and research. One interesting aspect of this phenomenon in the context of this project
is the appearance of networks of heterogeneous devices that must operate in a fully distributed manner while sharing
information necessary to complete some preassigned task. In this project, we propose that such complex networks be modeled
as multiagent systems where each node corresponds to an agent. This interpretation suggests several interesting research
avenues, some of which will be the focus of this project.

We propose the use of a class of decision-theoretic models - Dec-POMDPs and specializations thereof - that naturally captures
the decentralized nature of these networks in terms of local perception (the information that each node can acquire per se),
interaction/communication (the exchange of information between the nodes) and local actuation (each node processes locally
the available information and acts accordingly). In fact, one can argue that several systems typically considered in a fully
centralized fashion (such as surveillance systems) could potentially benefit from this multiagent view of the network (e.g. in
terms of robustness, more efficient communication, etc).

We are interested in heterogeneous surveillance networks that include different kinds of nodes, possibly with different
perceptual and actuation capabilities, as well as different processing power. From this perspective it is natural, for example, to
have nodes corresponding to cameras mounted on mobile robots. The control and even the positioning of the robots should be
decided locally but in such a way to globally optimize the performance of the network.

[[Image:MAIS-S_overview.png|right|480px]]

The project will address the following problems:
* '''Scalability''': General Dec-POMDPs have a worst case complexity that is NEXP-complete. As such, significant efforts have been devoted to finding simpler models that, while capturing the fundamental features of Dec-POMDPs, are still amenable to efficient computation. We explore how local interactions can simplify the process of decision-making in these multiagent models.

* '''Efficient communication''': We study the tradeoff between using communication to simplify the decision process against the cost of overloading the communication channels.

* '''Robustness''': How should the network adjust when one or more of the nodes fail?

* '''Implementation''': We investigate the problem of navigating the mobile robots as well as efficiently interfacing mobile and static nodes. We will implement a simple prototype of the system in a structured environment (ISR), using an existing infrastructure, and we consider the possibility of conducting tests in a real scenario.

==Meetings==

* Kickoff Meeting, Sept 29 2010, ISR Lisbon.

* Technical Meeting (vision), Oct 20 2010, Observit.

* Technical Meeting (decision making), Oct 27 2010, Observit.

==Partners==

* [http://www.inesc-id.pt/ Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Lisboa] (INESC-ID)
* [http://www.ist.utl.pt Instituto Superior Técnico] / [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica] (IST/ISR)
* [http://www.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University] (CMU)
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==People==

* INESC-ID
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/~fmelo Francisco Melo]
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/gaips/people/anapaiva.html Ana Paiva]

* IST/ISR
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan Matthijs Spaan]
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal Pedro Lima]
** João Sequeira
** José Santos-Victor
** Plinio Moreno López
** João Messias
** Dario Figueira

* CMU
** [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mmv/ Manuela Veloso]

* Observit
** Bernardo Motta

==Publications==
* None yet

==Links==
* [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt GAIPS group at INESC]
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt Intelligent Systems Laboratory at IST/ISR]
* [http://vislab.isr.ist.utl.pt Computer Vision Lab at IST/ISR]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~coral/ CORAL group at CMU]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/ Computer Science department at CMU]
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==Reference Information==
Project Reference: CMU-PT/SIA/0023/2009 
Start: September 2010 
End: August 2013 
Total budget: 186.100,00 EUR 
Principal Investigator: Francisco Melo 
[[Image:FCT_logo.jpg|150px]]

Intelligent Robots and Systems Group

2010-11-17T11:54:21Z

Mtjspaan: /* People */

The Intelligent Robots and Systems Laboratory was born as of the former ISR/IST [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/ Intelligent Systems] and [http://lrm.isr.ist.utl.pt/ Mobile Robotics] laboratories.

== People ==

Active senior members of the lab:

* [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mir/ Maria Isabel Ribeiro]
* [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal/ Pedro Lima]
* [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jseq/ João Sequeira]
* [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt/~cfb/ Carlos Bispo]
* [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/ Rodrigo Ventura]
* [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/ Matthijs Spaan]

== Projects ==

IRSLab has been involved in several financed projects, both European and national.

=== Current projects ===

* [http://www.ipfn.ist.utl.pt/rh/ Activities Related to the Development of an Air Transfer System Prototype and Cask Transfer System Virtual Mock-up] (EURATOM Fusion for Energy / ITER)
* [http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt Decentralized Planning Under Uncertainty for Cooperative Systems] (FCT, 2007-2010)
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob: Soccer Robots or Society of Robots] (ISR internal)
* [[PCMMC: Perception-Driven Coordinated Multi-Robot Motion Control]] (FCT, 2010-2012)
* [[From Bio-Inspired to Institutional-Inspired Collective Robotics]] (FCT, 2010-2013)
* [[MAIS-S|MAIS-S: Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System]] (CMU-Portugal, 2010-2013)
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jseq/RIOL/ Robotic inspection over power lines] (FCT)

=== Past projects ===
* [http://urus.upc.es URUS: Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Settings] (EU FP6)
* FEMDS (ESA)
* HROSS (EUCLID RTP9)
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob2004/FCT]
* [http://rescue.isr.ist.utl.pt RESCUE]
* [http://raposa.isr.ist.utl.pt RAPOSA]
* [http://lrm.isr.ist.utl.pt/lrm/projects/labelec/ Laser range systems to measure live power installations]
* DARE
* MS-AGENCY

== Other research ==

Current research is being conducted by IRSLab members in these core areas:

* [[Institutional Robotics]]
* [[Field Robotics]]
* [[Humanoid Robotics]]
* [[Formation State Estimation and Control]]
* [[Discrete Event Systems Based Robotic Task Modeling]]
* [[Planning under Uncertainty]]
* [[Cooperative Active Perception]]
* [[Cognitive Architectures]]

== PhD Theses ==

An overview of PhD theses (co-)supervised by IRSLab members.

* Planning, Learning and Control Under Uncertainty Based on Discrete Event Systems and Reinforcement Learning, Gonçalo Neto, 2010.
* Robotic Tasks Modelling and Analysis Based on Discrete Event Systems, Hugo Costelha, 2010.
* Decentralized Low Communication 6DoF Full State Formation Navigation, Sónia Marques, 2009.
* [http://welcome.isr.ist.utl.pt/img/pdfs/2169_tese-ValdineiSilva_aposRevisoes.pdf Extração de Preferências por Meio de Avaliações de Comportamentos Observados], Valdinei Silva, 2009.
* Emotion-based Mechanisms for Decision Making in Autonomous Agents, Rodrigo Ventura, 2008.
* [http://welcome.isr.ist.utl.pt/img/pdfs/1774_PhDThesis-FranciscoMelo.pdf Reinforcement Learning in Cooperative Navigation Tasks], Francisco Melo, 2007.
* [http://welcome.isr.ist.utl.pt/img/pdfs/1350_05-phd-vale.pdf Mobile Robot Navigation in Outdoor Environments: A Topological Approach], Alberto Vale, 2005.
* [http://welcome.isr.ist.utl.pt/img/pdfs/744_phdabstFinal.pdf Stochastic Model of Micro-Agent Populations], Dejan Milutinovic, 2004.
* [http://welcome.isr.ist.utl.pt/img/pdfs/559_tese1x.pdf Hierarchies and Compositional Abstractions of Hybrid Systems], Paulo Tabuada, 2002.
* [http://welcome.isr.ist.utl.pt/img/pdfs/805_99-phd-jseq.ps.z Cooperation Among Robots: a Behavioural Approach Supported on Group Theory], João Sequeira, 1999.

== ISR Associate Laboratory ==

The Intelligent Robots and Systems Lab has actively participated in the research activities within [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jasv/temaB/ theme B (Robotic Monitoring and Surveillance)] of Institute for Systems and Robotics -- Associate Laboratory.

== Workshops ==

The following workshops had IRSLab members on their organizing comitees.

* [http://labrococo.dis.uniroma1.it/bimrs/index.html ECAI 2010 Workshop on Benchmarking Intelligent (Multi-)Robot Systems (BIMRS)] (August 2010)
* [http://rbrserver.cs.umass.edu/~camato/msdm2010/msdm2010.htm AAMAS'10 Workshop on Multi-agent Sequential Decision-Making in Uncertain Domains (MSDM 2010)]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/POMDPPractitioners/ ICAPS'10 POMDP Practitioners Workshop: solving real-world POMDP problems]
* [http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~seuken/msdm2009/ AAMAS'09 Workshop on Multi-agent Sequential Decision-Making in Uncertain Domains (MSDM 2009)]
* [[Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics]] (October 2008)
* [http://masplan.isr.ist.utl.pt ICAPS'08 Multiagent Planning Workshop] (September 2008)
* [http://formal.isr.ist.utl.pt AAMAS'08 Workshop on Formal Models and Methods for Multi-Robot Systems] (May 2008)
* [http://aass.oru.se/Agora/ICRA05/ Workshop on Cooperative Robotics at ICRA'2005] (April 2005)

== Institutional Links ==

The scientific community organizes itself on interest groups and associations. The leading organizations on the scientific areas of IRSLab, and with which IRSLab members play an active role, in various degrees, are listed here:

* http://www.aass.oru.se/Agora/EuronCoop/ — '''CR SIG''': EURON Special Interest Group on Cooperative Robotics
* http://www.ieee.org — '''IEEE''': Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
* http://www.aaai.org — '''AAAI''': Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence
* http://www.robocup.org — '''RoboCup''': Robot World Cup Initiative
* http://www.spr.ua.pt — '''SPR''': Sociedade Portuguesa de Robótica
* http://www.appia.pt — '''APPIA''': Associação Portuguesa Para a Inteligência Artificial

== Software ==

Public domain software developed at IRSLab, in the context of research activities.

* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/software Multiagent decision process toolbox]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/decpomdp Dec-POMDP problem domains]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal/cadeiras/deds0708/deds/MatlabFSA.zip Matlab functions for FSA]
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/opensdk Open-source implementation of Sony's OPEN-R Development Kit]

Educational open source software developed by ISLab staff for [http://www.ist.utl.pt IST] courses (mostly [[Python resources|Python]]).

* Bayes filtering in 1-D, including Discrete Bayes, Kalman filter, Particle filtering (Monte-Carlo), and occupancy grid mapping (inverse sensor model): [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/software/demo_bayes-1.3.py demo_bayes-1.3.py]
* Solving Sudoku using plain backtrack search: [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/iasd/sudoku.py sudoku.py]
* Pioneer DX3 robot interface software for MATLAB: [[Media:Matlab pioneer.zip|matlab_pioneer.zip]]

== Hardware ==

* [[Bioloid Extension Project]]

== Scientific Activities for Youngsters ==

IRSLab has a long tradition on the dissemination of science and technology to youngsters, as the researchers of tomorrow are now among them.

* Pioneer project of S&T Education through Robotics: [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/roditas RODITAS]
* [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/cvnasferias Scientific Activities for Youngsters on Holidays]

Intelligent Robots and Systems Group

2010-11-17T11:51:50Z

Mtjspaan:

The Intelligent Robots and Systems Laboratory was born as of the former ISR/IST [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/ Intelligent Systems] and [http://lrm.isr.ist.utl.pt/ Mobile Robotics] laboratories.

== People ==

Senior active members of the lab:

* [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mir/ Maria Isabel Ribeiro]
* [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal/ Pedro Lima]
* [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jseq/ João Sequeira]
* [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt/~cfb/ Carlos Bispo]
* [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/ Rodrigo Ventura]
* [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/ Matthijs Spaan]

== Projects ==

IRSLab has been involved in several financed projects, both European and national.

=== Current projects ===

* [http://www.ipfn.ist.utl.pt/rh/ Activities Related to the Development of an Air Transfer System Prototype and Cask Transfer System Virtual Mock-up] (EURATOM Fusion for Energy / ITER)
* [http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt Decentralized Planning Under Uncertainty for Cooperative Systems] (FCT, 2007-2010)
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob: Soccer Robots or Society of Robots] (ISR internal)
* [[PCMMC: Perception-Driven Coordinated Multi-Robot Motion Control]] (FCT, 2010-2012)
* [[From Bio-Inspired to Institutional-Inspired Collective Robotics]] (FCT, 2010-2013)
* [[MAIS-S|MAIS-S: Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System]] (CMU-Portugal, 2010-2013)
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jseq/RIOL/ Robotic inspection over power lines] (FCT)

=== Past projects ===
* [http://urus.upc.es URUS: Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Settings] (EU FP6)
* FEMDS (ESA)
* HROSS (EUCLID RTP9)
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob2004/FCT]
* [http://rescue.isr.ist.utl.pt RESCUE]
* [http://raposa.isr.ist.utl.pt RAPOSA]
* [http://lrm.isr.ist.utl.pt/lrm/projects/labelec/ Laser range systems to measure live power installations]
* DARE
* MS-AGENCY

== Other research ==

Current research is being conducted by IRSLab members in these core areas:

* [[Institutional Robotics]]
* [[Field Robotics]]
* [[Humanoid Robotics]]
* [[Formation State Estimation and Control]]
* [[Discrete Event Systems Based Robotic Task Modeling]]
* [[Planning under Uncertainty]]
* [[Cooperative Active Perception]]
* [[Cognitive Architectures]]

== PhD Theses ==

An overview of PhD theses (co-)supervised by IRSLab members.

* Planning, Learning and Control Under Uncertainty Based on Discrete Event Systems and Reinforcement Learning, Gonçalo Neto, 2010.
* Robotic Tasks Modelling and Analysis Based on Discrete Event Systems, Hugo Costelha, 2010.
* Decentralized Low Communication 6DoF Full State Formation Navigation, Sónia Marques, 2009.
* [http://welcome.isr.ist.utl.pt/img/pdfs/2169_tese-ValdineiSilva_aposRevisoes.pdf Extração de Preferências por Meio de Avaliações de Comportamentos Observados], Valdinei Silva, 2009.
* Emotion-based Mechanisms for Decision Making in Autonomous Agents, Rodrigo Ventura, 2008.
* [http://welcome.isr.ist.utl.pt/img/pdfs/1774_PhDThesis-FranciscoMelo.pdf Reinforcement Learning in Cooperative Navigation Tasks], Francisco Melo, 2007.
* [http://welcome.isr.ist.utl.pt/img/pdfs/1350_05-phd-vale.pdf Mobile Robot Navigation in Outdoor Environments: A Topological Approach], Alberto Vale, 2005.
* [http://welcome.isr.ist.utl.pt/img/pdfs/744_phdabstFinal.pdf Stochastic Model of Micro-Agent Populations], Dejan Milutinovic, 2004.
* [http://welcome.isr.ist.utl.pt/img/pdfs/559_tese1x.pdf Hierarchies and Compositional Abstractions of Hybrid Systems], Paulo Tabuada, 2002.
* [http://welcome.isr.ist.utl.pt/img/pdfs/805_99-phd-jseq.ps.z Cooperation Among Robots: a Behavioural Approach Supported on Group Theory], João Sequeira, 1999.

== ISR Associate Laboratory ==

The Intelligent Robots and Systems Lab has actively participated in the research activities within [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jasv/temaB/ theme B (Robotic Monitoring and Surveillance)] of Institute for Systems and Robotics -- Associate Laboratory.

== Workshops ==

The following workshops had IRSLab members on their organizing comitees.

* [http://labrococo.dis.uniroma1.it/bimrs/index.html ECAI 2010 Workshop on Benchmarking Intelligent (Multi-)Robot Systems (BIMRS)] (August 2010)
* [http://rbrserver.cs.umass.edu/~camato/msdm2010/msdm2010.htm AAMAS'10 Workshop on Multi-agent Sequential Decision-Making in Uncertain Domains (MSDM 2010)]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/POMDPPractitioners/ ICAPS'10 POMDP Practitioners Workshop: solving real-world POMDP problems]
* [http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~seuken/msdm2009/ AAMAS'09 Workshop on Multi-agent Sequential Decision-Making in Uncertain Domains (MSDM 2009)]
* [[Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics]] (October 2008)
* [http://masplan.isr.ist.utl.pt ICAPS'08 Multiagent Planning Workshop] (September 2008)
* [http://formal.isr.ist.utl.pt AAMAS'08 Workshop on Formal Models and Methods for Multi-Robot Systems] (May 2008)
* [http://aass.oru.se/Agora/ICRA05/ Workshop on Cooperative Robotics at ICRA'2005] (April 2005)

== Institutional Links ==

The scientific community organizes itself on interest groups and associations. The leading organizations on the scientific areas of IRSLab, and with which IRSLab members play an active role, in various degrees, are listed here:

* http://www.aass.oru.se/Agora/EuronCoop/ — '''CR SIG''': EURON Special Interest Group on Cooperative Robotics
* http://www.ieee.org — '''IEEE''': Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
* http://www.aaai.org — '''AAAI''': Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence
* http://www.robocup.org — '''RoboCup''': Robot World Cup Initiative
* http://www.spr.ua.pt — '''SPR''': Sociedade Portuguesa de Robótica
* http://www.appia.pt — '''APPIA''': Associação Portuguesa Para a Inteligência Artificial

== Software ==

Public domain software developed at IRSLab, in the context of research activities.

* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/software Multiagent decision process toolbox]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/decpomdp Dec-POMDP problem domains]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal/cadeiras/deds0708/deds/MatlabFSA.zip Matlab functions for FSA]
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/opensdk Open-source implementation of Sony's OPEN-R Development Kit]

Educational open source software developed by ISLab staff for [http://www.ist.utl.pt IST] courses (mostly [[Python resources|Python]]).

* Bayes filtering in 1-D, including Discrete Bayes, Kalman filter, Particle filtering (Monte-Carlo), and occupancy grid mapping (inverse sensor model): [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/software/demo_bayes-1.3.py demo_bayes-1.3.py]
* Solving Sudoku using plain backtrack search: [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/iasd/sudoku.py sudoku.py]
* Pioneer DX3 robot interface software for MATLAB: [[Media:Matlab pioneer.zip|matlab_pioneer.zip]]

== Hardware ==

* [[Bioloid Extension Project]]

== Scientific Activities for Youngsters ==

IRSLab has a long tradition on the dissemination of science and technology to youngsters, as the researchers of tomorrow are now among them.

* Pioneer project of S&T Education through Robotics: [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/roditas RODITAS]
* [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/cvnasferias Scientific Activities for Youngsters on Holidays]

Intelligent Robots and Systems Group

2010-11-16T12:49:17Z

Mtjspaan: /* Institutional Links */

The Intelligent Robots and Systems Laboratory was born as of the former ISR/IST [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/ Intelligent Systems] and [http://lrm.isr.ist.utl.pt/ Mobile Robotics] laboratories.

== Projects ==

IRSLab has been involved in several financed projects, both European and national.

=== Current projects ===

* [http://www.ipfn.ist.utl.pt/rh/ Activities Related to the Development of an Air Transfer System Prototype and Cask Transfer System Virtual Mock-up] (EURATOM Fusion for Energy / ITER)
* [http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt Decentralized Planning Under Uncertainty for Cooperative Systems] (FCT, 2007-2010)
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob: Soccer Robots or Society of Robots] (ISR internal)
* [[PCMMC: Perception-Driven Coordinated Multi-Robot Motion Control]] (FCT, 2010-2012)
* [[From Bio-Inspired to Institutional-Inspired Collective Robotics]] (FCT, 2010-2013)
* [[MAIS-S|MAIS-S: Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System]] (CMU-Portugal, 2010-2013)
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jseq/RIOL/ Robotic inspection over power lines] (FCT)

=== Past projects ===
* [http://urus.upc.es URUS: Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Settings] (EU FP6)
* FEMDS (ESA)
* HROSS (EUCLID RTP9)
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob2004/FCT]
* [http://rescue.isr.ist.utl.pt RESCUE]
* [http://raposa.isr.ist.utl.pt RAPOSA]
* [http://lrm.isr.ist.utl.pt/lrm/projects/labelec/ Laser range systems to measure live power installations]
* DARE
* MS-AGENCY

== Other research ==

Current research is being conducted by IRSLab members in these core areas:

* [[Institutional Robotics]]
* [[Field Robotics]]
* [[Humanoid Robotics]]
* [[Formation State Estimation and Control]]
* [[Discrete Event Systems Based Robotic Task Modeling]]
* [[Planning under Uncertainty]]
* [[Cooperative Active Perception]]
* [[Cognitive Architectures]]

== ISR Associate Laboratory ==

The Intelligent Robots and Systems Lab has actively participated in the research activities within [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jasv/temaB/ theme B (Robotic Monitoring and Surveillance)] of Institute for Systems and Robotics -- Associate Laboratory.

== Workshops ==

The following workshops had IRSLab members on their organizing comitees.

* [http://labrococo.dis.uniroma1.it/bimrs/index.html ECAI 2010 Workshop on Benchmarking Intelligent (Multi-)Robot Systems (BIMRS)] (August 2010)
* [http://rbrserver.cs.umass.edu/~camato/msdm2010/msdm2010.htm AAMAS'10 Workshop on Multi-agent Sequential Decision-Making in Uncertain Domains (MSDM 2010)]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/POMDPPractitioners/ ICAPS'10 POMDP Practitioners Workshop: solving real-world POMDP problems]
* [http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~seuken/msdm2009/ AAMAS'09 Workshop on Multi-agent Sequential Decision-Making in Uncertain Domains (MSDM 2009)]
* [[Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics]] (October 2008)
* [http://masplan.isr.ist.utl.pt ICAPS'08 Multiagent Planning Workshop] (September 2008)
* [http://formal.isr.ist.utl.pt AAMAS'08 Workshop on Formal Models and Methods for Multi-Robot Systems] (May 2008)
* [http://aass.oru.se/Agora/ICRA05/ Workshop on Cooperative Robotics at ICRA'2005] (April 2005)

== Institutional Links ==

The scientific community organizes itself on interest groups and associations. The leading organizations on the scientific areas of IRSLab, and with which IRSLab members play an active role, in various degrees, are listed here:

* http://www.aass.oru.se/Agora/EuronCoop/ — '''CR SIG''': EURON Special Interest Group on Cooperative Robotics
* http://www.ieee.org — '''IEEE''': Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
* http://www.aaai.org — '''AAAI''': Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence
* http://www.robocup.org — '''RoboCup''': Robot World Cup Initiative
* http://www.spr.ua.pt — '''SPR''': Sociedade Portuguesa de Robótica
* http://www.appia.pt — '''APPIA''': Associação Portuguesa Para a Inteligência Artificial

== Software ==

Public domain software developed at IRSLab, in the context of research activities.

* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/software Multiagent decision process toolbox]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/decpomdp Dec-POMDP problem domains]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal/cadeiras/deds0708/deds/MatlabFSA.zip Matlab functions for FSA]
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/opensdk Open-source implementation of Sony's OPEN-R Development Kit]

Educational open source software developed by ISLab staff for [http://www.ist.utl.pt IST] courses (mostly [[Python resources|Python]]).

* Bayes filtering in 1-D, including Discrete Bayes, Kalman filter, Particle filtering (Monte-Carlo), and occupancy grid mapping (inverse sensor model): [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/software/demo_bayes-1.3.py demo_bayes-1.3.py]
* Solving Sudoku using plain backtrack search: [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/iasd/sudoku.py sudoku.py]
* Pioneer DX3 robot interface software for MATLAB: [[Media:Matlab pioneer.zip|matlab_pioneer.zip]]

== Hardware ==

* [[Bioloid Extension Project]]

== Scientific Activities for Youngsters ==

IRSLab has a long tradition on the dissemination of science and technology to youngsters, as the researchers of tomorrow are now among them.

* Pioneer project of S&T Education through Robotics: [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/roditas RODITAS]
* [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/cvnasferias Scientific Activities for Youngsters on Holidays]

Intelligent Robots and Systems Group

2010-11-16T12:48:54Z

Mtjspaan: New page: The Intelligent Robots and Systems Laboratory was born as of the former ISR/IST [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/ Intelligent Systems] and [http://lrm.isr.ist.utl.pt/ Mobile Robotics] laborato...

The Intelligent Robots and Systems Laboratory was born as of the former ISR/IST [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/ Intelligent Systems] and [http://lrm.isr.ist.utl.pt/ Mobile Robotics] laboratories.

== Projects ==

IRSLab has been involved in several financed projects, both European and national.

=== Current projects ===

* [http://www.ipfn.ist.utl.pt/rh/ Activities Related to the Development of an Air Transfer System Prototype and Cask Transfer System Virtual Mock-up] (EURATOM Fusion for Energy / ITER)
* [http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt Decentralized Planning Under Uncertainty for Cooperative Systems] (FCT, 2007-2010)
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob: Soccer Robots or Society of Robots] (ISR internal)
* [[PCMMC: Perception-Driven Coordinated Multi-Robot Motion Control]] (FCT, 2010-2012)
* [[From Bio-Inspired to Institutional-Inspired Collective Robotics]] (FCT, 2010-2013)
* [[MAIS-S|MAIS-S: Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System]] (CMU-Portugal, 2010-2013)
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jseq/RIOL/ Robotic inspection over power lines] (FCT)

=== Past projects ===
* [http://urus.upc.es URUS: Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Settings] (EU FP6)
* FEMDS (ESA)
* HROSS (EUCLID RTP9)
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob2004/FCT]
* [http://rescue.isr.ist.utl.pt RESCUE]
* [http://raposa.isr.ist.utl.pt RAPOSA]
* [http://lrm.isr.ist.utl.pt/lrm/projects/labelec/ Laser range systems to measure live power installations]
* DARE
* MS-AGENCY

== Other research ==

Current research is being conducted by IRSLab members in these core areas:

* [[Institutional Robotics]]
* [[Field Robotics]]
* [[Humanoid Robotics]]
* [[Formation State Estimation and Control]]
* [[Discrete Event Systems Based Robotic Task Modeling]]
* [[Planning under Uncertainty]]
* [[Cooperative Active Perception]]
* [[Cognitive Architectures]]

== ISR Associate Laboratory ==

The Intelligent Robots and Systems Lab has actively participated in the research activities within [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jasv/temaB/ theme B (Robotic Monitoring and Surveillance)] of Institute for Systems and Robotics -- Associate Laboratory.

== Workshops ==

The following workshops had IRSLab members on their organizing comitees.

* [http://labrococo.dis.uniroma1.it/bimrs/index.html ECAI 2010 Workshop on Benchmarking Intelligent (Multi-)Robot Systems (BIMRS)] (August 2010)
* [http://rbrserver.cs.umass.edu/~camato/msdm2010/msdm2010.htm AAMAS'10 Workshop on Multi-agent Sequential Decision-Making in Uncertain Domains (MSDM 2010)]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/POMDPPractitioners/ ICAPS'10 POMDP Practitioners Workshop: solving real-world POMDP problems]
* [http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~seuken/msdm2009/ AAMAS'09 Workshop on Multi-agent Sequential Decision-Making in Uncertain Domains (MSDM 2009)]
* [[Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics]] (October 2008)
* [http://masplan.isr.ist.utl.pt ICAPS'08 Multiagent Planning Workshop] (September 2008)
* [http://formal.isr.ist.utl.pt AAMAS'08 Workshop on Formal Models and Methods for Multi-Robot Systems] (May 2008)
* [http://aass.oru.se/Agora/ICRA05/ Workshop on Cooperative Robotics at ICRA'2005] (April 2005)

== Institutional Links ==

The scientific community organizes itself on interest groups and associations. The leading organizations on the scientific areas of ISLab, and with which ISLab members play an active role, in various degrees, are listed here:

* http://www.aass.oru.se/Agora/EuronCoop/ — '''CR SIG''': EURON Special Interest Group on Cooperative Robotics
* http://www.ieee.org — '''IEEE''': Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
* http://www.aaai.org — '''AAAI''': Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence
* http://www.robocup.org — '''RoboCup''': Robot World Cup Initiative
* http://www.spr.ua.pt — '''SPR''': Sociedade Portuguesa de Robótica
* http://www.appia.pt — '''APPIA''': Associação Portuguesa Para a Inteligência Artificial

== Software ==

Public domain software developed at IRSLab, in the context of research activities.

* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/software Multiagent decision process toolbox]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/decpomdp Dec-POMDP problem domains]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal/cadeiras/deds0708/deds/MatlabFSA.zip Matlab functions for FSA]
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/opensdk Open-source implementation of Sony's OPEN-R Development Kit]

Educational open source software developed by ISLab staff for [http://www.ist.utl.pt IST] courses (mostly [[Python resources|Python]]).

* Bayes filtering in 1-D, including Discrete Bayes, Kalman filter, Particle filtering (Monte-Carlo), and occupancy grid mapping (inverse sensor model): [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/software/demo_bayes-1.3.py demo_bayes-1.3.py]
* Solving Sudoku using plain backtrack search: [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/iasd/sudoku.py sudoku.py]
* Pioneer DX3 robot interface software for MATLAB: [[Media:Matlab pioneer.zip|matlab_pioneer.zip]]

== Hardware ==

* [[Bioloid Extension Project]]

== Scientific Activities for Youngsters ==

IRSLab has a long tradition on the dissemination of science and technology to youngsters, as the researchers of tomorrow are now among them.

* Pioneer project of S&T Education through Robotics: [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/roditas RODITAS]
* [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/cvnasferias Scientific Activities for Youngsters on Holidays]

MAIS-S

2010-10-01T09:19:37Z

Mtjspaan: /* Meetings */

{| align=right frame
|-
|
[[Image:LogoINESC-ID.jpg|center]][[Image:Logo_IST_color.png|center|100px]]
[[Image:LogoCMU.jpg|center|50px]][[Image:LogoObservit.png|center]]
|}

MAIS-S, '''Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System''', is a research project in the [http://www.cmuportugal.org/ CMU-Portugal program] and addresses the problem of planning in decentralized multiagent systems in the context of intelligent surveillance networks. The project involves the collaborative effort of two Portuguese institutions, INESC-ID (Porto Salvo, Portugal) and IST/ISR (Lisbon, Portugal), the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA, US), as well as Observit (Lisbon), a Portuguese company with extensive experience in surveillance systems.

==Abstract==

With the generalized use of intelligent technology, the interaction between multiple smart devices poses interesting
challenges both in terms of engineering and research. One interesting aspect of this phenomenon in the context of this project
is the appearance of networks of heterogeneous devices that must operate in a fully distributed manner while sharing
information necessary to complete some preassigned task. In this project, we propose that such complex networks be modeled
as multiagent systems where each node corresponds to an agent. This interpretation suggests several interesting research
avenues, some of which will be the focus of this project.

We propose the use of a class of decision-theoretic models - Dec-POMDPs and specializations thereof - that naturally captures
the decentralized nature of these networks in terms of local perception (the information that each node can acquire per se),
interaction/communication (the exchange of information between the nodes) and local actuation (each node processes locally
the available information and acts accordingly). In fact, one can argue that several systems typically considered in a fully
centralized fashion (such as surveillance systems) could potentially benefit from this multiagent view of the network (e.g. in
terms of robustness, more efficient communication, etc).

We are interested in heterogeneous surveillance networks that include different kinds of nodes, possibly with different
perceptual and actuation capabilities, as well as different processing power. From this perspective it is natural, for example, to
have nodes corresponding to cameras mounted on mobile robots. The control and even the positioning of the robots should be
decided locally but in such a way to globally optimize the performance of the network.

[[Image:MAIS-S_overview.png|right|480px]]

The project will address the following problems:
* '''Scalability''': General Dec-POMDPs have a worst case complexity that is NEXP-complete. As such, significant efforts have been devoted to finding simpler models that, while capturing the fundamental features of Dec-POMDPs, are still amenable to efficient computation. We explore how local interactions can simplify the process of decision-making in these multiagent models.

* '''Efficient communication''': We study the tradeoff between using communication to simplify the decision process against the cost of overloading the communication channels.

* '''Robustness''': How should the network adjust when one or more of the nodes fail?

* '''Implementation''': We investigate the problem of navigating the mobile robots as well as efficiently interfacing mobile and static nodes. We will implement a simple prototype of the system in a structured environment (ISR), using an existing infrastructure, and we consider the possibility of conducting tests in a real scenario.

==Meetings==

* Kickoff Meeting, Sept 29 2010, ISR Lisbon.

* Technical Meeting (vision), Oct 20 2010, Observit.

* Technical Meeting (decision making), Oct 27 2010, Observit.

==Partners==

* [http://www.inesc-id.pt/ Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Lisboa] (INESC-ID)
* [http://www.ist.utl.pt Instituto Superior Técnico] / [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica] (IST/ISR)
* [http://www.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University] (CMU)
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==People==

* INESC-ID
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/~fmelo Francisco Melo]
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/gaips/people/anapaiva.html Ana Paiva]

* IST/ISR
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan Matthijs Spaan]
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal Pedro Lima]
** João Sequeira
** José Santos-Victor
** Plinio Moreno López
** João Messias
** Dario Figueira

* CMU
** [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mmv/ Manuela Veloso]

* Observit
** Bernardo Motta

==Publications==
* None yet

==Links==
* [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt GAIPS group at INESC]
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt Intelligent Systems Laboratory at IST/ISR]
* [http://vislab.isr.ist.utl.pt Computer Vision Lab at IST/ISR]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~coral/ CORAL group at CMU]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/ Computer Science department at CMU]
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==Reference Information==
Project Reference: CMU-PT/SIA/0023/2009 
Start: September 2010 
End: August 2013 
Total budget: 186.100,00 EUR 
Principal Investigator: Francisco Melo 
[[Image:FCT_logo.jpg|150px]]

MAIS-S

2010-09-22T14:19:26Z

Mtjspaan: /* News and Media */

{| align=right frame
|-
|
[[Image:LogoINESC-ID.jpg|center]][[Image:Logo_IST_color.png|center|100px]]
[[Image:LogoCMU.jpg|center|50px]][[Image:LogoObservit.png|center]]
|}

MAIS-S, '''Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System''', is a research project in the [http://www.cmuportugal.org/ CMU-Portugal program] and addresses the problem of planning in decentralized multiagent systems in the context of intelligent surveillance networks. The project involves the collaborative effort of two Portuguese institutions, INESC-ID (Porto Salvo, Portugal) and IST/ISR (Lisbon, Portugal), the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA, US), as well as Observit (Lisbon), a Portuguese company with extensive experience in surveillance systems.

==Abstract==

With the generalized use of intelligent technology, the interaction between multiple smart devices poses interesting
challenges both in terms of engineering and research. One interesting aspect of this phenomenon in the context of this project
is the appearance of networks of heterogeneous devices that must operate in a fully distributed manner while sharing
information necessary to complete some preassigned task. In this project, we propose that such complex networks be modeled
as multiagent systems where each node corresponds to an agent. This interpretation suggests several interesting research
avenues, some of which will be the focus of this project.

We propose the use of a class of decision-theoretic models - Dec-POMDPs and specializations thereof - that naturally captures
the decentralized nature of these networks in terms of local perception (the information that each node can acquire per se),
interaction/communication (the exchange of information between the nodes) and local actuation (each node processes locally
the available information and acts accordingly). In fact, one can argue that several systems typically considered in a fully
centralized fashion (such as surveillance systems) could potentially benefit from this multiagent view of the network (e.g. in
terms of robustness, more efficient communication, etc).

We are interested in heterogeneous surveillance networks that include different kinds of nodes, possibly with different
perceptual and actuation capabilities, as well as different processing power. From this perspective it is natural, for example, to
have nodes corresponding to cameras mounted on mobile robots. The control and even the positioning of the robots should be
decided locally but in such a way to globally optimize the performance of the network.

[[Image:MAIS-S_overview.png|right|480px]]

The project will address the following problems:
* '''Scalability''': General Dec-POMDPs have a worst case complexity that is NEXP-complete. As such, significant efforts have been devoted to finding simpler models that, while capturing the fundamental features of Dec-POMDPs, are still amenable to efficient computation. We explore how local interactions can simplify the process of decision-making in these multiagent models.

* '''Efficient communication''': We study the tradeoff between using communication to simplify the decision process against the cost of overloading the communication channels.

* '''Robustness''': How should the network adjust when one or more of the nodes fail?

* '''Implementation''': We investigate the problem of navigating the mobile robots as well as efficiently interfacing mobile and static nodes. We will implement a simple prototype of the system in a structured environment (ISR), using an existing infrastructure, and we consider the possibility of conducting tests in a real scenario.

==Meetings==

* Kickoff Meeting, Sept 29, 2010, ISR Lisbon.

==Partners==

* [http://www.inesc-id.pt/ Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Lisboa] (INESC-ID)
* [http://www.ist.utl.pt Instituto Superior Técnico] / [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica] (IST/ISR)
* [http://www.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University] (CMU)
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==People==

* INESC-ID
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/~fmelo Francisco Melo]
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/gaips/people/anapaiva.html Ana Paiva]

* IST/ISR
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan Matthijs Spaan]
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal Pedro Lima]
** João Sequeira
** José Santos-Victor
** Plinio Moreno López
** João Messias
** Dario Figueira

* CMU
** [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mmv/ Manuela Veloso]

* Observit
** Bernardo Motta

==Publications==
* None yet

==Links==
* [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt GAIPS group at INESC]
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt Intelligent Systems Laboratory at IST/ISR]
* [http://vislab.isr.ist.utl.pt Computer Vision Lab at IST/ISR]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~coral/ CORAL group at CMU]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/ Computer Science department at CMU]
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==Reference Information==
Project Reference: CMU-PT/SIA/0023/2009 
Start: September 2010 
End: August 2013 
Total budget: 186.100,00 EUR 
Principal Investigator: Francisco Melo 
[[Image:FCT_logo.jpg|150px]]

PCMMC: Perception-Driven Coordinated Multi-Robot Motion Control

2010-09-15T11:15:55Z

Mtjspaan:

{| align=right frame
|-
|
[[Image:Logo IST color.png|70px]]
[[Image:logo_inesc_porto.gif|130px]]
[[Image:Logo_ISEP.jpg|150px]]
|}
==Abstract==
[[Image:Soccer.jpg|left|200px]]
Several robotic tasks require or benefit from the cooperation of multiple robots: transportation of large-size objects, large area coverage (e.g., for cleaning) or surveillance (e.g., for fire detection), pollutant plume tracking, or target detection and tracking, to name but a few.
In this project, we propose a novel active approach to cooperative perception through coordinated vehicle motion control. The vehicle formation geometry will change dynamically so as to optimize the accuracy of cooperative perception of a static or dynamic target by the formation vehicles. To achieve this, we will introduce innovative decentralized low-communication formation full state estimation methods, and dynamic-goal-driven formation control, for cooperative target localization and tracking by decentralized fusion of the data measured by all the formation vehicles.
We will also develop a novel embedded framework prototype to implement our contributions with low computational and power requirements, and test the proposed solutions in real robot scenarios, namely
* heterogeneous outdoor (aerial + land) vehicle formations, for extended decentralized perimeter surveillance and intruder tracking/event detection, in hostile environments with limited-range terrestrial communications (border control, forest fire detection or search and rescue operations);
* heterogeneous (non-holonomic and omnidirectional kinematics, different vision systems) soccer robots with a common target (tracking a ball), in a highly dynamic and adversarial environment, often subject to occlusions and “kidnappings”.

[[Image:Outdoor.jpg|right|200px]]
Real scenarios mean real wireless communications, plagued with link failures and limited bandwidth, and perception noise, often non-Gaussian, and subject to non-linear measurement and motion dynamic. Real robots and moving targets imply real-time requirements as well. We will also investigate methods that cope with all such constraints, namely reduced-dimension data representations (e.g., Gaussian Mixture Models), particle filter sampling of probability density functions, embedded frameworks that take into account power, communications and computational requirements, communications middleware to provide efficient use of the available resources, interoperability, heterogeneity abstractions, automatic re-configuration, and real-time communication protocols. Altogether we will explore simultaneously the complementary directions of coping with noisy perceptions and non-linear dynamics, as typically followed by the networked control community, while improving the communications quality and system lifetime, typically addressed by the real-time communications community, maximizing the improvement in the global system performance. 

[[Resumo / Controlo Coordenado do Movimento de Multi-Robots Baseado na Percepção]]

==News and Media==
[[Workshop at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid]]

==Partners==

* [http://www.ist.utl.pt Instituto Superior Técnico] / [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica] (IST/ISR - leader)
* [http://www.inescporto.pt/ Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores do Porto] (INESC Porto)
* [http://www.isep.ipp.pt Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto] / [http://www.ipp.pt Instituto Politécnico do Porto] (ISEP/IPP)

==People==
* IST/ISR:
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal Pedro Manuel Urbano de Almeida Lima]
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan Matthijs Theodor Jan Spaan]
** João Vicente Teixeira de Sousa Messias
** Aamir Ahmad
** Abdolkarim Pahliani

* INESC Porto:
** [http://paginas.fe.up.pt/~amoreira/ António Paulo Gomes Mendes Moreira]
** Luis Miguel Pinho de Almeida
** Fernando Arménio da Costa Castro e Fo...
** Paulo José Cerqueira Gomes da Costa
** Amélia Cristina Duque Caldeira Matos
** Dalila Benedita Machado Martins Fonte...

* ISEP/IPP
** Eduardo Alexandre Pereira da Silva
** Alfredo Manuel de Oliveira Martins
** André Miguel Pinheiro Dias
** Hugo Miguel Gomes da Silva
** José Miguel Soares de Almeida

==Reports==
* Not yet available

==Publications==
* Cooperative Localization Based on Visually Shared Objects, P. Lima, J. Santos, P. Santos, R. Oliveira, A. Ahmad, Proc. of RoboCup2010 Symposium, Singapore, 2010

==Links==
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob project]
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt Intelligent Systems Laboratory at IST/ISR]
* [https://www.fe.up.pt/groundsys GroundSys group at FEUP]
* [http://lsa.isep.ipp.pt Laboratório de Sistemas Autónomos do ISEP/IPP]

==Reference Information==
Project Reference: PTDC/EEA-CRO/100692/2008 
Start: January 2010 
End: December 2012 
Total budget: 199.123,00 EUR 
Principal Investigator: Pedro U. Lima 
[[Image:FCT_logo.jpg|150px]]

PCMMC: Perception-Driven Coordinated Multi-Robot Motion Control

2010-09-15T11:13:50Z

Mtjspaan:

[[Image:LogoIST.jpg|50px]] [[Image:logo_inesc_porto.gif|130px]] [[Image:Logo_ISEP.jpg|150px]]
==Abstract==
[[Image:Soccer.jpg|left|200px]]
Several robotic tasks require or benefit from the cooperation of multiple robots: transportation of large-size objects, large area coverage (e.g., for cleaning) or surveillance (e.g., for fire detection), pollutant plume tracking, or target detection and tracking, to name but a few.
In this project, we propose a novel active approach to cooperative perception through coordinated vehicle motion control. The vehicle formation geometry will change dynamically so as to optimize the accuracy of cooperative perception of a static or dynamic target by the formation vehicles. To achieve this, we will introduce innovative decentralized low-communication formation full state estimation methods, and dynamic-goal-driven formation control, for cooperative target localization and tracking by decentralized fusion of the data measured by all the formation vehicles.
We will also develop a novel embedded framework prototype to implement our contributions with low computational and power requirements, and test the proposed solutions in real robot scenarios, namely
* heterogeneous outdoor (aerial + land) vehicle formations, for extended decentralized perimeter surveillance and intruder tracking/event detection, in hostile environments with limited-range terrestrial communications (border control, forest fire detection or search and rescue operations);
* heterogeneous (non-holonomic and omnidirectional kinematics, different vision systems) soccer robots with a common target (tracking a ball), in a highly dynamic and adversarial environment, often subject to occlusions and “kidnappings”.

[[Image:Outdoor.jpg|right|200px]]
Real scenarios mean real wireless communications, plagued with link failures and limited bandwidth, and perception noise, often non-Gaussian, and subject to non-linear measurement and motion dynamic. Real robots and moving targets imply real-time requirements as well. We will also investigate methods that cope with all such constraints, namely reduced-dimension data representations (e.g., Gaussian Mixture Models), particle filter sampling of probability density functions, embedded frameworks that take into account power, communications and computational requirements, communications middleware to provide efficient use of the available resources, interoperability, heterogeneity abstractions, automatic re-configuration, and real-time communication protocols. Altogether we will explore simultaneously the complementary directions of coping with noisy perceptions and non-linear dynamics, as typically followed by the networked control community, while improving the communications quality and system lifetime, typically addressed by the real-time communications community, maximizing the improvement in the global system performance. 

[[Resumo / Controlo Coordenado do Movimento de Multi-Robots Baseado na Percepção]]

==News and Media==
[[Workshop at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid]]

==Partners==

* [http://www.ist.utl.pt Instituto Superior Técnico] / [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica] (IST/ISR - leader)
* [http://www.inescporto.pt/ Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores do Porto] (INESC Porto)
* [http://www.isep.ipp.pt Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto] / [http://www.ipp.pt Instituto Politécnico do Porto] (ISEP/IPP)

==People==
* IST/ISR:
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal Pedro Manuel Urbano de Almeida Lima]
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan Matthijs Theodor Jan Spaan]
** João Vicente Teixeira de Sousa Messias
** Aamir Ahmad
** Abdolkarim Pahliani

* INESC Porto:
** [http://paginas.fe.up.pt/~amoreira/ António Paulo Gomes Mendes Moreira]
** Luis Miguel Pinho de Almeida
** Fernando Arménio da Costa Castro e Fo...
** Paulo José Cerqueira Gomes da Costa
** Amélia Cristina Duque Caldeira Matos
** Dalila Benedita Machado Martins Fonte...

* ISEP/IPP
** Eduardo Alexandre Pereira da Silva
** Alfredo Manuel de Oliveira Martins
** André Miguel Pinheiro Dias
** Hugo Miguel Gomes da Silva
** José Miguel Soares de Almeida

==Reports==
* Not yet available

==Publications==
* Cooperative Localization Based on Visually Shared Objects, P. Lima, J. Santos, P. Santos, R. Oliveira, A. Ahmad, Proc. of RoboCup2010 Symposium, Singapore, 2010

==Links==
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob project]
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt Intelligent Systems Laboratory at IST/ISR]
* [https://www.fe.up.pt/groundsys GroundSys group at FEUP]
* [http://lsa.isep.ipp.pt Laboratório de Sistemas Autónomos do ISEP/IPP]

==Reference Information==
Project Reference: PTDC/EEA-CRO/100692/2008 
Start: January 2010 
End: December 2012 
Total budget: 199.123,00 EUR 
Principal Investigator: Pedro U. Lima 
[[Image:FCT_logo.jpg|150px]]

File:LogoObservit.png

2010-09-06T14:07:04Z

Mtjspaan: uploaded a new version of "Image:LogoObservit.png"

File:LogoObservit.png

2010-09-06T14:05:49Z

Mtjspaan: uploaded a new version of "Image:LogoObservit.png"

MAIS-S

2010-09-06T14:05:09Z

Mtjspaan:

{| align=right frame
|-
|
[[Image:LogoINESC-ID.jpg|center]][[Image:Logo_IST_color.png|center|100px]]
[[Image:LogoCMU.jpg|center|50px]][[Image:LogoObservit.png|center]]
|}

MAIS-S, '''Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System''', is a research project in the [http://www.cmuportugal.org/ CMU-Portugal program] and addresses the problem of planning in decentralized multiagent systems in the context of intelligent surveillance networks. The project involves the collaborative effort of two Portuguese institutions, INESC-ID (Porto Salvo, Portugal) and IST/ISR (Lisbon, Portugal), the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA, US), as well as Observit (Lisbon), a Portuguese company with extensive experience in surveillance systems.

==Abstract==

With the generalized use of intelligent technology, the interaction between multiple smart devices poses interesting
challenges both in terms of engineering and research. One interesting aspect of this phenomenon in the context of this project
is the appearance of networks of heterogeneous devices that must operate in a fully distributed manner while sharing
information necessary to complete some preassigned task. In this project, we propose that such complex networks be modeled
as multiagent systems where each node corresponds to an agent. This interpretation suggests several interesting research
avenues, some of which will be the focus of this project.

We propose the use of a class of decision-theoretic models - Dec-POMDPs and specializations thereof - that naturally captures
the decentralized nature of these networks in terms of local perception (the information that each node can acquire per se),
interaction/communication (the exchange of information between the nodes) and local actuation (each node processes locally
the available information and acts accordingly). In fact, one can argue that several systems typically considered in a fully
centralized fashion (such as surveillance systems) could potentially benefit from this multiagent view of the network (e.g. in
terms of robustness, more efficient communication, etc).

We are interested in heterogeneous surveillance networks that include different kinds of nodes, possibly with different
perceptual and actuation capabilities, as well as different processing power. From this perspective it is natural, for example, to
have nodes corresponding to cameras mounted on mobile robots. The control and even the positioning of the robots should be
decided locally but in such a way to globally optimize the performance of the network.

[[Image:MAIS-S_overview.png|right|480px]]

The project will address the following problems:
* '''Scalability''': General Dec-POMDPs have a worst case complexity that is NEXP-complete. As such, significant efforts have been devoted to finding simpler models that, while capturing the fundamental features of Dec-POMDPs, are still amenable to efficient computation. We explore how local interactions can simplify the process of decision-making in these multiagent models.

* '''Efficient communication''': We study the tradeoff between using communication to simplify the decision process against the cost of overloading the communication channels.

* '''Robustness''': How should the network adjust when one or more of the nodes fail?

* '''Implementation''': We investigate the problem of navigating the mobile robots as well as efficiently interfacing mobile and static nodes. We will implement a simple prototype of the system in a structured environment (ISR), using an existing infrastructure, and we consider the possibility of conducting tests in a real scenario.

==News and Media==

==Partners==

* [http://www.inesc-id.pt/ Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Lisboa] (INESC-ID)
* [http://www.ist.utl.pt Instituto Superior Técnico] / [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica] (IST/ISR)
* [http://www.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University] (CMU)
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==People==

* INESC-ID
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/~fmelo Francisco Melo]
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/gaips/people/anapaiva.html Ana Paiva]

* IST/ISR
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan Matthijs Spaan]
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal Pedro Lima]
** João Sequeira
** José Santos-Victor
** Plinio Moreno López
** João Messias
** Dario Figueira

* CMU
** [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mmv/ Manuela Veloso]

* Observit
** Bernardo Motta

==Publications==
* None yet

==Links==
* [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt GAIPS group at INESC]
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt Intelligent Systems Laboratory at IST/ISR]
* [http://vislab.isr.ist.utl.pt Computer Vision Lab at IST/ISR]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~coral/ CORAL group at CMU]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/ Computer Science department at CMU]
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==Reference Information==
Project Reference: CMU-PT/SIA/0023/2009 
Start: September 2010 
End: August 2013 
Total budget: 186.100,00 EUR 
Principal Investigator: Francisco Melo 
[[Image:FCT_logo.jpg|150px]]

File:LogoObservit.png

2010-09-06T13:59:24Z

Mtjspaan:

MAIS-S

2010-09-04T19:28:50Z

Mtjspaan: /* People */

{| align=right
|-
|
[[Image:LogoINESC-ID.jpg|right]][[Image:Logo_IST_color.png|right|100px]]
[[Image:LogoCMU.jpg|right|50px]][[Image:LogoObservit.jpg|right|50px]]
|}

MAIS-S, '''Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System''', is a research project in the [http://www.cmuportugal.org/ CMU-Portugal program] and addresses the problem of planning in decentralized multiagent systems in the context of intelligent surveillance networks. The project involves the collaborative effort of two Portuguese institutions, INESC-ID (Porto Salvo, Portugal) and IST/ISR (Lisbon, Portugal), the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA, US), as well as Observit (Lisbon), a Portuguese company with extensive experience in surveillance systems.

==Abstract==

With the generalized use of intelligent technology, the interaction between multiple smart devices poses interesting
challenges both in terms of engineering and research. One interesting aspect of this phenomenon in the context of this project
is the appearance of networks of heterogeneous devices that must operate in a fully distributed manner while sharing
information necessary to complete some preassigned task. In this project, we propose that such complex networks be modeled
as multiagent systems where each node corresponds to an agent. This interpretation suggests several interesting research
avenues, some of which will be the focus of this project.

We propose the use of a class of decision-theoretic models - Dec-POMDPs and specializations thereof - that naturally captures
the decentralized nature of these networks in terms of local perception (the information that each node can acquire per se),
interaction/communication (the exchange of information between the nodes) and local actuation (each node processes locally
the available information and acts accordingly). In fact, one can argue that several systems typically considered in a fully
centralized fashion (such as surveillance systems) could potentially benefit from this multiagent view of the network (e.g. in
terms of robustness, more efficient communication, etc).

We are interested in heterogeneous surveillance networks that include different kinds of nodes, possibly with different
perceptual and actuation capabilities, as well as different processing power. From this perspective it is natural, for example, to
have nodes corresponding to cameras mounted on mobile robots. The control and even the positioning of the robots should be
decided locally but in such a way to globally optimize the performance of the network.

[[Image:MAIS-S_overview.png|right|480px]]

The project will address the following problems:
* '''Scalability''': General Dec-POMDPs have a worst case complexity that is NEXP-complete. As such, significant efforts have been devoted to finding simpler models that, while capturing the fundamental features of Dec-POMDPs, are still amenable to efficient computation. We explore how local interactions can simplify the process of decision-making in these multiagent models.

* '''Efficient communication''': We study the tradeoff between using communication to simplify the decision process against the cost of overloading the communication channels.

* '''Robustness''': How should the network adjust when one or more of the nodes fail?

* '''Implementation''': We investigate the problem of navigating the mobile robots as well as efficiently interfacing mobile and static nodes. We will implement a simple prototype of the system in a structured environment (ISR), using an existing infrastructure, and we consider the possibility of conducting tests in a real scenario.

==News and Media==

==Partners==

* [http://www.inesc-id.pt/ Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Lisboa] (INESC-ID)
* [http://www.ist.utl.pt Instituto Superior Técnico] / [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica] (IST/ISR)
* [http://www.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University] (CMU)
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==People==

* INESC-ID
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/~fmelo Francisco Melo]
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/gaips/people/anapaiva.html Ana Paiva]

* IST/ISR
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan Matthijs Spaan]
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal Pedro Lima]
** João Sequeira
** José Santos-Victor
** Plinio Moreno López
** João Messias
** Dario Figueira

* CMU
** [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mmv/ Manuela Veloso]

* Observit
** Bernardo Motta

==Publications==
* None yet

==Links==
* [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt GAIPS group at INESC]
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt Intelligent Systems Laboratory at IST/ISR]
* [http://vislab.isr.ist.utl.pt Computer Vision Lab at IST/ISR]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~coral/ CORAL group at CMU]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/ Computer Science department at CMU]
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==Reference Information==
Project Reference: CMU-PT/SIA/0023/2009 
Start: September 2010 
End: August 2013 
Total budget: 186.100,00 EUR 
Principal Investigator: Francisco Melo 
[[Image:FCT_logo.jpg|150px]]

MAIS-S

2010-09-04T19:22:10Z

Mtjspaan: /* Links */

{| align=right
|-
|
[[Image:LogoINESC-ID.jpg|right]][[Image:Logo_IST_color.png|right|100px]]
[[Image:LogoCMU.jpg|right|50px]][[Image:LogoObservit.jpg|right|50px]]
|}

MAIS-S, '''Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System''', is a research project in the [http://www.cmuportugal.org/ CMU-Portugal program] and addresses the problem of planning in decentralized multiagent systems in the context of intelligent surveillance networks. The project involves the collaborative effort of two Portuguese institutions, INESC-ID (Porto Salvo, Portugal) and IST/ISR (Lisbon, Portugal), the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA, US), as well as Observit (Lisbon), a Portuguese company with extensive experience in surveillance systems.

==Abstract==

With the generalized use of intelligent technology, the interaction between multiple smart devices poses interesting
challenges both in terms of engineering and research. One interesting aspect of this phenomenon in the context of this project
is the appearance of networks of heterogeneous devices that must operate in a fully distributed manner while sharing
information necessary to complete some preassigned task. In this project, we propose that such complex networks be modeled
as multiagent systems where each node corresponds to an agent. This interpretation suggests several interesting research
avenues, some of which will be the focus of this project.

We propose the use of a class of decision-theoretic models - Dec-POMDPs and specializations thereof - that naturally captures
the decentralized nature of these networks in terms of local perception (the information that each node can acquire per se),
interaction/communication (the exchange of information between the nodes) and local actuation (each node processes locally
the available information and acts accordingly). In fact, one can argue that several systems typically considered in a fully
centralized fashion (such as surveillance systems) could potentially benefit from this multiagent view of the network (e.g. in
terms of robustness, more efficient communication, etc).

We are interested in heterogeneous surveillance networks that include different kinds of nodes, possibly with different
perceptual and actuation capabilities, as well as different processing power. From this perspective it is natural, for example, to
have nodes corresponding to cameras mounted on mobile robots. The control and even the positioning of the robots should be
decided locally but in such a way to globally optimize the performance of the network.

[[Image:MAIS-S_overview.png|right|480px]]

The project will address the following problems:
* '''Scalability''': General Dec-POMDPs have a worst case complexity that is NEXP-complete. As such, significant efforts have been devoted to finding simpler models that, while capturing the fundamental features of Dec-POMDPs, are still amenable to efficient computation. We explore how local interactions can simplify the process of decision-making in these multiagent models.

* '''Efficient communication''': We study the tradeoff between using communication to simplify the decision process against the cost of overloading the communication channels.

* '''Robustness''': How should the network adjust when one or more of the nodes fail?

* '''Implementation''': We investigate the problem of navigating the mobile robots as well as efficiently interfacing mobile and static nodes. We will implement a simple prototype of the system in a structured environment (ISR), using an existing infrastructure, and we consider the possibility of conducting tests in a real scenario.

==News and Media==

==Partners==

* [http://www.inesc-id.pt/ Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Lisboa] (INESC-ID)
* [http://www.ist.utl.pt Instituto Superior Técnico] / [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica] (IST/ISR)
* [http://www.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University] (CMU)
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==People==

* INESC-ID
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/~fmelo Francisco Melo]
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/gaips/people/anapaiva.html Ana Paiva]

* IST/ISR
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan Matthijs Theodor Jan Spaan]
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal Pedro Manuel Urbano de Almeida Lima]
** João Sequeira
** José Santos-Victor
** Plinio Moreno López
** João Messias
** Dario Figueira

* CMU
** [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mmv/ Manuela Veloso]

* Observit
** Bernardo Motta

==Publications==
* None yet

==Links==
* [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt GAIPS group at INESC]
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt Intelligent Systems Laboratory at IST/ISR]
* [http://vislab.isr.ist.utl.pt Computer Vision Lab at IST/ISR]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~coral/ CORAL group at CMU]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/ Computer Science department at CMU]
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==Reference Information==
Project Reference: CMU-PT/SIA/0023/2009 
Start: September 2010 
End: August 2013 
Total budget: 186.100,00 EUR 
Principal Investigator: Francisco Melo 
[[Image:FCT_logo.jpg|150px]]

MAIS-S

2010-09-04T19:21:23Z

Mtjspaan: /* Links */

{| align=right
|-
|
[[Image:LogoINESC-ID.jpg|right]][[Image:Logo_IST_color.png|right|100px]]
[[Image:LogoCMU.jpg|right|50px]][[Image:LogoObservit.jpg|right|50px]]
|}

MAIS-S, '''Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System''', is a research project in the [http://www.cmuportugal.org/ CMU-Portugal program] and addresses the problem of planning in decentralized multiagent systems in the context of intelligent surveillance networks. The project involves the collaborative effort of two Portuguese institutions, INESC-ID (Porto Salvo, Portugal) and IST/ISR (Lisbon, Portugal), the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA, US), as well as Observit (Lisbon), a Portuguese company with extensive experience in surveillance systems.

==Abstract==

With the generalized use of intelligent technology, the interaction between multiple smart devices poses interesting
challenges both in terms of engineering and research. One interesting aspect of this phenomenon in the context of this project
is the appearance of networks of heterogeneous devices that must operate in a fully distributed manner while sharing
information necessary to complete some preassigned task. In this project, we propose that such complex networks be modeled
as multiagent systems where each node corresponds to an agent. This interpretation suggests several interesting research
avenues, some of which will be the focus of this project.

We propose the use of a class of decision-theoretic models - Dec-POMDPs and specializations thereof - that naturally captures
the decentralized nature of these networks in terms of local perception (the information that each node can acquire per se),
interaction/communication (the exchange of information between the nodes) and local actuation (each node processes locally
the available information and acts accordingly). In fact, one can argue that several systems typically considered in a fully
centralized fashion (such as surveillance systems) could potentially benefit from this multiagent view of the network (e.g. in
terms of robustness, more efficient communication, etc).

We are interested in heterogeneous surveillance networks that include different kinds of nodes, possibly with different
perceptual and actuation capabilities, as well as different processing power. From this perspective it is natural, for example, to
have nodes corresponding to cameras mounted on mobile robots. The control and even the positioning of the robots should be
decided locally but in such a way to globally optimize the performance of the network.

[[Image:MAIS-S_overview.png|right|480px]]

The project will address the following problems:
* '''Scalability''': General Dec-POMDPs have a worst case complexity that is NEXP-complete. As such, significant efforts have been devoted to finding simpler models that, while capturing the fundamental features of Dec-POMDPs, are still amenable to efficient computation. We explore how local interactions can simplify the process of decision-making in these multiagent models.

* '''Efficient communication''': We study the tradeoff between using communication to simplify the decision process against the cost of overloading the communication channels.

* '''Robustness''': How should the network adjust when one or more of the nodes fail?

* '''Implementation''': We investigate the problem of navigating the mobile robots as well as efficiently interfacing mobile and static nodes. We will implement a simple prototype of the system in a structured environment (ISR), using an existing infrastructure, and we consider the possibility of conducting tests in a real scenario.

==News and Media==

==Partners==

* [http://www.inesc-id.pt/ Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Lisboa] (INESC-ID)
* [http://www.ist.utl.pt Instituto Superior Técnico] / [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica] (IST/ISR)
* [http://www.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University] (CMU)
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==People==

* INESC-ID
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/~fmelo Francisco Melo]
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/gaips/people/anapaiva.html Ana Paiva]

* IST/ISR
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan Matthijs Theodor Jan Spaan]
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal Pedro Manuel Urbano de Almeida Lima]
** João Sequeira
** José Santos-Victor
** Plinio Moreno López
** João Messias
** Dario Figueira

* CMU
** [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mmv/ Manuela Veloso]

* Observit
** Bernardo Motta

==Publications==
* None yet

==Links==
* [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt GAIPS group at INESC]
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt Intelligent Systems Laboratory at IST/ISR]
* [http://vislab.isr.ist.utl.pt Vision Lab at IST/ISR]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~coral/ CORAL group at CMU]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/ Computer Science department at CMU]
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==Reference Information==
Project Reference: CMU-PT/SIA/0023/2009 
Start: September 2010 
End: August 2013 
Total budget: 186.100,00 EUR 
Principal Investigator: Francisco Melo 
[[Image:FCT_logo.jpg|150px]]

Intelligent Systems Lab

2010-09-04T11:47:24Z

Mtjspaan: /* Current projects */

== Projects ==

ISLab has been involved in several financed projects, both european and national.

=== Current projects ===

* [http://www.ipfn.ist.utl.pt/rh/ Activities Related to the Development of an Air Transfer System Prototype and Cask Transfer System Virtual Mock-up] (EURATOM Fusion for Energy / ITER)
* [http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt Decentralized Planning Under Uncertainty for Cooperative Systems] (FCT, 2007-2010)
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob: Soccer Robots or Society of Robots] (ISR internal)
* [[PCMMC: Perception-Driven Coordinated Multi-Robot Motion Control]] (FCT, 2010-2012)
* [[From Bio-Inspired to Institutional-Inspired Collective Robotics]] (FCT, 2010-2013)
* [[MAIS-S|MAIS-S: Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System]] (CMU-Portugal, 2010-2013)

=== Past projects ===
* [http://urus.upc.es URUS: Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Settings] (EU FP6)
* FEMDS
* HROSS
* SocRob2004/FCT
* RESCUE
* RAPOSA
* DARE
* MS-AGENCY

== Other research ==

Current research is being conducted by ISLab members on these core areas:

* [[Institutional Robotics]]
* [[Field Robotics]]
* [[Humanoid Robotics]]
* [[Formation State Estimation and Control]]
* [[Discrete Event Systems Based Robotic Task Modeling]]
* [[Planning under Uncertainty]]
* [[Cooperative Active Perception]]
* [[Cognitive Architectures]]

== ISR Associate Laboratory ==

The Intelligent Systems Lab has actively participated in the research activities within [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jasv/temaB/ theme B (Robotic Monitoring and Surveillance)] of Institute for Systems and Robotics -- Associate Laboratory.

== Workshops ==

The following workshops had ISLab members on their organizing comitees.

* [http://labrococo.dis.uniroma1.it/bimrs/index.html ECAI 2010 Workshop on Benchmarking Intelligent (Multi-)Robot Systems (BIMRS)] (August 2010)
* [[Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics]] (October 2008)
* [http://masplan.isr.ist.utl.pt ICAPS'08 Multiagent Planning Workshop] (September 2008)
* [http://formal.isr.ist.utl.pt AAMAS'08 Workshop on Formal Models and Methods for Multi-Robot Systems] (May 2008)
* [http://aass.oru.se/Agora/ICRA05/ Workshop on Cooperative Robotics at ICRA'2005] (April 2005)

=== ISLab workshop series ===

Since 2003 ISLab has been promoting one-day internal workshops where lab members present and discuss their current work with all lab members. These workshops not only allow everybody to know what everybody is doing, but also to foster practice on public presentations. Although the workshops are held on a very informal fashion, students often take this opportunity to rehearse conference and thesis defense presentations.

* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/islabwks1.htm 1st edition] - February 23th, 2003
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/2nd_ISlab_Workshop.htm 2nd edition] - July 18th, 2003
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop3/index.html 3rd edition] - February 13th, 2004
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop4/index.html 4th edition] - November 12th, 2004
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop5/index.html 5th edition] - January 12th, 2006
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop6/index.html 6th edition] - October 3th, 2008
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop7/index.html 7th edition] - October 26th, 2009

== Institutional Links ==

The scientific community organizes itself on interest groups and associations. The leading organizations on the scientific areas of ISLab, and with which ISLab members play an active role, in various degrees, are listed here:

* http://www.aass.oru.se/Agora/EuronCoop/ — '''CR SIG''': EURON Special Interest Group on Cooperative Robotics
* http://www.ieee.org — '''IEEE''': Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
* http://www.aaai.org — '''AAAI''': Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence
* http://www.robocup.org — '''RoboCup''': Robot World Cup Initiative
* http://www.spr.ua.pt — '''SPR''': Sociedade Portuguesa de Robótica
* http://www.appia.pt — '''APPIA''': Associação Portuguesa Para a Inteligência Artificial

== Software ==

Public domain software developed at ISLab, in the context of research activities.

* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/software Multiagent decision process toolbox]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/decpomdp Dec-POMDP problem domains]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal/cadeiras/deds0708/deds/MatlabFSA.zip Matlab functions for FSA]
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/opensdk Open-source implementation of Sony's OPEN-R Development Kit]

Educational open source software developed by ISLab staff for [http://www.ist.utl.pt IST] courses (mostly [[Python resources|Python]]).

* Bayes filtering in 1-D, including Discrete Bayes, Kalman filter, Particle filtering (Monte-Carlo), and occupancy grid mapping (inverse sensor model): [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/software/demo_bayes-1.3.py demo_bayes-1.3.py]
* Solving Sudoku using plain backtrack search: [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/iasd/sudoku.py sudoku.py]
* Pioneer DX3 robot interface software for MATLAB: [[Media:Matlab pioneer.zip|matlab_pioneer.zip]]

== Scientific Activities for Youngsters ==

ISLab has a long tradition on the dissemination of science and technology to youngsters, as the researchers of tomorrow are now among them.

* Pioneer project of S&T Education through Robotics: [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/roditas RODITAS]
* [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/cvnasferias Scientific Activities for Youngsters on Holidays]

MAIS-S

2010-09-04T11:41:21Z

Mtjspaan:

{| align=right
|-
|
[[Image:LogoINESC-ID.jpg|right]][[Image:Logo_IST_color.png|right|100px]]
[[Image:LogoCMU.jpg|right|50px]][[Image:LogoObservit.jpg|right|50px]]
|}

MAIS-S, '''Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System''', is a research project in the [http://www.cmuportugal.org/ CMU-Portugal program] and addresses the problem of planning in decentralized multiagent systems in the context of intelligent surveillance networks. The project involves the collaborative effort of two Portuguese institutions, INESC-ID (Porto Salvo, Portugal) and IST/ISR (Lisbon, Portugal), the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA, US), as well as Observit (Lisbon), a Portuguese company with extensive experience in surveillance systems.

==Abstract==

With the generalized use of intelligent technology, the interaction between multiple smart devices poses interesting
challenges both in terms of engineering and research. One interesting aspect of this phenomenon in the context of this project
is the appearance of networks of heterogeneous devices that must operate in a fully distributed manner while sharing
information necessary to complete some preassigned task. In this project, we propose that such complex networks be modeled
as multiagent systems where each node corresponds to an agent. This interpretation suggests several interesting research
avenues, some of which will be the focus of this project.

We propose the use of a class of decision-theoretic models - Dec-POMDPs and specializations thereof - that naturally captures
the decentralized nature of these networks in terms of local perception (the information that each node can acquire per se),
interaction/communication (the exchange of information between the nodes) and local actuation (each node processes locally
the available information and acts accordingly). In fact, one can argue that several systems typically considered in a fully
centralized fashion (such as surveillance systems) could potentially benefit from this multiagent view of the network (e.g. in
terms of robustness, more efficient communication, etc).

We are interested in heterogeneous surveillance networks that include different kinds of nodes, possibly with different
perceptual and actuation capabilities, as well as different processing power. From this perspective it is natural, for example, to
have nodes corresponding to cameras mounted on mobile robots. The control and even the positioning of the robots should be
decided locally but in such a way to globally optimize the performance of the network.

[[Image:MAIS-S_overview.png|right|480px]]

The project will address the following problems:
* '''Scalability''': General Dec-POMDPs have a worst case complexity that is NEXP-complete. As such, significant efforts have been devoted to finding simpler models that, while capturing the fundamental features of Dec-POMDPs, are still amenable to efficient computation. We explore how local interactions can simplify the process of decision-making in these multiagent models.

* '''Efficient communication''': We study the tradeoff between using communication to simplify the decision process against the cost of overloading the communication channels.

* '''Robustness''': How should the network adjust when one or more of the nodes fail?

* '''Implementation''': We investigate the problem of navigating the mobile robots as well as efficiently interfacing mobile and static nodes. We will implement a simple prototype of the system in a structured environment (ISR), using an existing infrastructure, and we consider the possibility of conducting tests in a real scenario.

==News and Media==

==Partners==

* [http://www.inesc-id.pt/ Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Lisboa] (INESC-ID)
* [http://www.ist.utl.pt Instituto Superior Técnico] / [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica] (IST/ISR)
* [http://www.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University] (CMU)
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==People==

* INESC-ID
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/~fmelo Francisco Melo]
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/gaips/people/anapaiva.html Ana Paiva]

* IST/ISR
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan Matthijs Theodor Jan Spaan]
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal Pedro Manuel Urbano de Almeida Lima]
** João Sequeira
** José Santos-Victor
** Plinio Moreno López
** João Messias
** Dario Figueira

* CMU
** [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mmv/ Manuela Veloso]

* Observit
** Bernardo Motta

==Publications==
* None yet

==Links==
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt Intelligent Systems Laboratory at IST/ISR]
* [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt GAIPS group at INESC]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~coral/ CORAL group at CMU]
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==Reference Information==
Project Reference: CMU-PT/SIA/0023/2009 
Start: September 2010 
End: August 2013 
Total budget: 186.100,00 EUR 
Principal Investigator: Francisco Melo 
[[Image:FCT_logo.jpg|150px]]

MAIS-S

2010-09-04T11:40:32Z

Mtjspaan: New page: {| align=right |- | right100px 50px50px |} MAIS-S, '''Multiagen...

{| align=right
|-
|
[[Image:LogoINESC-ID.jpg|right]][[Image:Logo_IST_color.png|right|100px]]
[[Image:LogoCMU.jpg|right|50px]][[Image:LogoObservit.jpg|right|50px]]
|}

MAIS-S, '''Multiagent Intelligent Surveillance System''', is a research project in the [http://www.cmuportugal.org/ CMU-Portugal program] and addresses the problem of planning in decentralized multiagent systems in the context of intelligent surveillance networks. The project involves the collaborative effort of two Portuguese institutions, INESC-ID (Porto Salvo, Portugal) and IST/ISR (Lisbon, Portugal), the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA, US), as well as Observit (Lisbon), a Portuguese company with extensive experience in surveillance systems.

==Abstract==

With the generalized use of intelligent technology, the interaction between multiple smart devices poses interesting
challenges both in terms of engineering and research. One interesting aspect of this phenomenon in the context of this project
is the appearance of networks of heterogeneous devices that must operate in a fully distributed manner while sharing
information necessary to complete some preassigned task. In this project, we propose that such complex networks be modeled
as multiagent systems where each node corresponds to an agent. This interpretation suggests several interesting research
avenues, some of which will be the focus of this project.

We propose the use of a class of decision-theoretic models - Dec-POMDPs and specializations thereof - that naturally captures
the decentralized nature of these networks in terms of local perception (the information that each node can acquire per se),
interaction/communication (the exchange of information between the nodes) and local actuation (each node processes locally
the available information and acts accordingly). In fact, one can argue that several systems typically considered in a fully
centralized fashion (such as surveillance systems) could potentially benefit from this multiagent view of the network (e.g. in
terms of robustness, more efficient communication, etc).

We are interested in heterogeneous surveillance networks that include different kinds of nodes, possibly with different
perceptual and actuation capabilities, as well as different processing power. From this perspective it is natural, for example, to
have nodes corresponding to cameras mounted on mobile robots. The control and even the positioning of the robots should be
decided locally but in such a way to globally optimize the performance of the network.

[[Image:MAIS-S_overview.png|right|480px]]

The project will address the following problems:
* '''Scalability''': General Dec-POMDPs have a worst case complexity that is NEXP-complete. As such, significant efforts have been devoted to finding simpler models that, while capturing the fundamental features of Dec-POMDPs, are still amenable to efficient computation. We explore how local interactions can simplify the process of decision-making in these multiagent models.

* '''Efficient communication''': We study the tradeoff between using communication to simplify the decision process against the cost of overloading the communication channels.

* '''Robustness''': How should the network adjust when one or more of the nodes fail?

* '''Implementation''': We investigate the problem of navigating the mobile robots as well as efficiently interfacing mobile and static nodes. We will implement a simple prototype of the system in a structured environment (ISR), using an existing infrastructure, and we consider the possibility of conducting tests in a real scenario.

==News and Media==

==Partners==

* [http://www.inesc-id.pt/ Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Lisboa (INESC-ID)]
* [http://www.ist.utl.pt Instituto Superior Técnico] / [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica] (IST/ISR)
* [http://www.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University]
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==People==

* INESC-ID
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/~fmelo Francisco Melo]
** [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/gaips/people/anapaiva.html Ana Paiva]

* IST/ISR
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan Matthijs Theodor Jan Spaan]
** [http://omni.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal Pedro Manuel Urbano de Almeida Lima]
** João Sequeira
** José Santos-Victor
** Plinio Moreno López
** João Messias
** Dario Figueira

* CMU
** [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mmv/ Manuela Veloso]

* Observit
** Bernardo Motta

==Publications==
* None yet

==Links==
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt Intelligent Systems Laboratory at IST/ISR]
* [http://gaips.inesc-id.pt GAIPS group at INESC]
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~coral/ CORAL group at CMU]
* [http://www.observit.pt Observit]

==Reference Information==
Project Reference: CMU-PT/SIA/0023/2009 
Start: September 2010 
End: August 2013 
Total budget: 186.100,00 EUR 
Principal Investigator: Francisco Melo 
[[Image:FCT_logo.jpg|150px]]

File:Logo IST color.png

2010-09-04T11:16:53Z

Mtjspaan:

File:LogoINESC-ID.jpg

2010-09-04T11:12:10Z

Mtjspaan:

File:MAIS-S overview.png

2010-09-04T11:08:04Z

Mtjspaan: uploaded a new version of "Image:MAIS-S overview.png"

File:MAIS-S overview.png

2010-09-04T11:06:52Z

Mtjspaan:

List of restaurants

2009-11-13T02:01:31Z

Mtjspaan: /* Portuguese */

Prices are approximate and include everything, unless otherwise stated.

== Portuguese ==

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| [http://floresta.webs.com/ Floresta da Estefânia]
| Rua Cidade da Horta, 39
| Crowded and down-to-earth place, long tables, fast service. Come at lunch for hearing the waiter shout the orders at the poor people in the kitchen. Around € 8.
|-
| Rei da Pescada
| ?
| Closed on Thursdays.
|-
| [http://www.pastelariaversailles.com Versailles IST]
| Torre Norte, -1 floor
| Traditional Portuguese cuisine. Around € 10.
|}

== Vegetarian ==

=== Close to IST ===

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| [http://www.bemmequer.web.pt/ Bem-me-quer]
| Av. Almirante Reis, 152
| Nice food but not cheap. Fabulous chocolate cake.
|-
| GranoVita
| Rua Rebelo da Silva, 57
| Selection of hot and cold vegetarian food, sauces and side dishes. You make your own dish and then you pay by weight. Around € 10.
|-
| Lotus Oriente
| Av. Duque de Ávila, 42-B
| Nice food but not cheap. However, the buffet is highly recommended and affordable. Nice (but small) desserts.
|-
| Hare Krishna (ISKCON)
| Rua de Dona Estefânia, 91, r/c
| Hindu lacto-vegetarian food in a garden. Fixed menu (soup, main course, dessert, herbal tea), you can ask for refills. Soups are especially good. € 7.
|-
| Planeta-Bio
| Rua Francisco Sanches, 41
| Nice food, very cheap. With the ''mini prato misto'', you can mix any two dishes from the menu. Great tarts. Also known as "the Ukrainian place" because it is run by Ukrainians and nobody remembers the name of the place. About a 20 minute walk from IST.
|}

=== Far from IST ===

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| Os Tibetanos
| Rua do Salitre
| Fixed menu (soup, main course, dessert). Fixed price. Weird opening hours.
|}

== Other ==

=== Japanese ===

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| Osaka
| Av. Praia da Vitória, 35-B
| Order as many times as you want for a fixed price: around € 11 at lunch, € 16 at dinner (excluding drinks).
|-
| Samurai
| Rua de Dona Estefânia, 92-A
| Order as many times as you want for a fixed price: around € 11 at lunch, € 16 at dinner (excluding drinks).
|}

=== Delivery ===

In case of munchies during late-night "bombar" sessions.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| Nomenu
| http://www.nomenuhomeservice.pt/?pageid=1107
| They pick up food at many types of restaurants and deliver it to Torre Norte (for instance). Service charge is € 3,50.
|}

List of restaurants

2009-11-13T02:00:44Z

Mtjspaan: added delivery section

Prices are approximate and include everything, unless otherwise stated.

== Portuguese ==

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| [http://floresta.webs.com/ Floresta da Estefânia]
| Rua Cidade da Horta, 39
| Crowded and down-to-earth place, long tables, fast service. Around € 8.
|-
| Rei da Pescada
| ?
| Closed on Thursdays.
|-
| [http://www.pastelariaversailles.com Versailles IST]
| Torre Norte, -1 floor
| Traditional Portuguese cuisine. Around € 10.
|}

== Vegetarian ==

=== Close to IST ===

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| [http://www.bemmequer.web.pt/ Bem-me-quer]
| Av. Almirante Reis, 152
| Nice food but not cheap. Fabulous chocolate cake.
|-
| GranoVita
| Rua Rebelo da Silva, 57
| Selection of hot and cold vegetarian food, sauces and side dishes. You make your own dish and then you pay by weight. Around € 10.
|-
| Lotus Oriente
| Av. Duque de Ávila, 42-B
| Nice food but not cheap. However, the buffet is highly recommended and affordable. Nice (but small) desserts.
|-
| Hare Krishna (ISKCON)
| Rua de Dona Estefânia, 91, r/c
| Hindu lacto-vegetarian food in a garden. Fixed menu (soup, main course, dessert, herbal tea), you can ask for refills. Soups are especially good. € 7.
|-
| Planeta-Bio
| Rua Francisco Sanches, 41
| Nice food, very cheap. With the ''mini prato misto'', you can mix any two dishes from the menu. Great tarts. Also known as "the Ukrainian place" because it is run by Ukrainians and nobody remembers the name of the place. About a 20 minute walk from IST.
|}

=== Far from IST ===

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| Os Tibetanos
| Rua do Salitre
| Fixed menu (soup, main course, dessert). Fixed price. Weird opening hours.
|}

== Other ==

=== Japanese ===

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| Osaka
| Av. Praia da Vitória, 35-B
| Order as many times as you want for a fixed price: around € 11 at lunch, € 16 at dinner (excluding drinks).
|-
| Samurai
| Rua de Dona Estefânia, 92-A
| Order as many times as you want for a fixed price: around € 11 at lunch, € 16 at dinner (excluding drinks).
|}

=== Delivery ===

In case of munchies during late-night "bombar" sessions.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| Nomenu
| http://www.nomenuhomeservice.pt/?pageid=1107
| They pick up food at many types of restaurants and deliver it to Torre Norte (for instance). Service charge is € 3,50.
|}

International conferences deadlines

2009-10-27T11:09:49Z

Mtjspaan: /* Artificial Intelligence */

'''REMARK:''' Please keep this list short (max 5 items per subject)!

== Artificial Intelligence ==

* '''11 Dec 2009 (abstract), 18 Dec 2009 (paper)''': ICAPS-2010 (http://www.icaps10.upf.edu)
* '''18 Jan 2010 (abstract), 21 Jan 2010 (paper)''': AAAI-2010 (http://www.aaai.org/Conferences/AAAI/aaai10.php)
* '''15 Feb 2010''': ECAI-2010 (http://ecai2010.appia.pt)

== Biomedical ==

== Computer Vision ==

* '''19 Nov 2009''': CVPR-2010 (http://cvl.umiacs.umd.edu/conferences/cvpr2010/)
* '''22 Nov 2009''': VISAPP-2010 (http://visapp.visigrapp.org/)
* '''15 Jan 2010''': ICPR-2010 (http://www.icpr2010.org/)
* '''10 Mar 2010''': ECCV-2010 (http://www.ics.forth.gr/eccv2010/)

== Machine Learning ==

== Robotics ==

* '''15 Jan 2010''': RSS-2010 (http://www.roboticsconference.org)
* '''10 Feb 2010''': IROS-2010 (http://www.iros2010.org.tw)
* '''15 Mar 2010''': SMC-2010 (http://www.smc2010.org)

== (Speech) Signal and Image Processing ==

* '''30 Apr 2010''': Interspeech 2010 (http://www.interspeech2010.org/)

== More conferences ==

* [http://www.aaai.org/Meetings/aimeetings.php meetings in cooperation with AAAI]
* [http://www.ieee.org/web/conferences/callforpapers/index.html list of IEEE conferences]
* [http://iris.usc.edu/Information/Iris-Conferences.html large list of image/vision conferences]

7th ISLab Workshop

2009-10-20T19:20:27Z

Mtjspaan: moved info away from wiki

[http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop7/index.html moved]

Intelligent Systems Lab

2009-10-20T19:19:43Z

Mtjspaan: /* ISLab workshop series */

== Projects ==

ISLab has been involved in several financed projects, both european and national.

=== Current projects ===

* [http://www.ipfn.ist.utl.pt/rh/ Activities Related to the Development of an Air Transfer System Prototype and Cask Transfer System Virtual Mock-up] (EURATOM Fusion for Energy / ITER)
* [http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt Decentralized Planning Under Uncertainty for Cooperative Systems] (FCT, 2007-2010)
* [http://urus.upc.es URUS: Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Settings] (EU FP6)
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob: Soccer Robots or Society of Robots] (ISR internal)
* [http://mediawiki.isr.ist.utl.pt/wiki/Institutional_Robotics Institutional Robotics] (ISR internal)

=== Past projects ===

* FEMDS
* HROSS
* SocRob2004/FCT
* RESCUE
* RAPOSA
* DARE
* MS-AGENCY

== Other research ==

Current research is being conducted by ISLab members on this core areas:

* [[Institutional Robotics]]
* [[Field Robotics]]
* [[Humanoid Robotics]]
* [[Formation State Estimation and Control]]
* [[Discrete Event Systems Based Robotic Task Modeling]]
* [[Planning under Uncertainty]]
* [[Cooperative Active Perception]]
* [[Cognitive Architectures]]

== ISR Associate Laboratory ==

The Intelligent Systems Lab has actively participated in the research activities within [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jasv/temaB/ theme B (Robotic Monitoring and Surveillance)] of Institute for Systems and Robotics -- Associate Laboratory.

== Workshops ==

The following workshops had ISLab members on their organizing comitees.

* [[Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics]] (October 2008)
* [http://masplan.isr.ist.utl.pt ICAPS'08 Multiagent Planning Workshop] (September 2008)
* [http://formal.isr.ist.utl.pt AAMAS'08 Workshop on Formal Models and Methods for Multi-Robot Systems] (May 2008)
* [http://aass.oru.se/Agora/ICRA05/ Workshop on Cooperative Robotics at ICRA'2005] (April 2005)

=== ISLab workshop series ===

Since 2003 ISLab has been promoting one-day internal workshops where lab members present and discuss their current work with all lab members. These workshops not only allow everybody to know what everybody is doing, but also to foster practice on public presentations. Although the workshops are held on a very informal fashion, students often take this opportunity to rehearse conference and thesis defense presentations.

* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/islabwks1.htm 1st edition] - February 23th, 2003
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/2nd_ISlab_Workshop.htm 2nd edition] - July 18th, 2003
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop3/index.html 3rd edition] - February 13th, 2004
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop4/index.html 4th edition] - November 12th, 2004
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop5/index.html 5th edition] - January 12th, 2006
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop6/index.html 6th edition] - October 3th, 2008
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop7/index.html 7th edition] - October 26th, 2009 '''(upcoming!)'''

== Institutional Links ==

The scientific community organizes itself on interest groups and associations. The leading organizations on the scientific areas of ISLab, and with which ISLab members play an active role, in various degrees, are listed here:

* http://www.aass.oru.se/Agora/EuronCoop/ — '''CR SIG''': EURON Special Interest Group on Cooperative Robotics
* http://www.ieee.org — '''IEEE''': Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
* http://www.aaai.org — '''AAAI''': Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence
* http://www.robocup.org — '''RoboCup''': Robot World Cup Initiative
* http://www.spr.ua.pt — '''SPR''': Sociedade Portuguesa de Robótica
* http://www.appia.pt — '''APPIA''': Associação Portuguesa Para a Inteligência Artificial

== Software ==

Public domain software developed at ISLab, in the context of research activities.

* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/software Multiagent decision process toolbox]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/decpomdp Dec-POMDP problem domains]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal/cadeiras/deds0708/deds/MatlabFSA.zip Matlab functions for FSA]
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/opensdk Open-source implementation of Sony's OPEN-R Development Kit]

Educational open source software developed by ISLab staff for [http://www.ist.utl.pt IST] courses (mostly [[Python resources|Python]]).

* Bayes filtering in 1-D, including Discrete Bayes, Kalman filter, Particle filtering (Monte-Carlo), and occupancy grid mapping (inverse sensor model): [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/software/demo_bayes-1.3.py demo_bayes-1.3.py]
* Solving Sudoku using plain backtrack search: [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/iasd/sudoku.py sudoku.py]
* Pioneer DX3 robot interface software for MATLAB: [[Media:Matlab pioneer.zip|matlab_pioneer.zip]]

== Scientific Activities for Youngsters ==

ISLab has a long tradition on the dissemination of science and technology to youngsters, as the researchers of tomorrow are now among them.

* Pioneer project of S&T Education through Robotics: [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/roditas RODITAS]
* [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/cvnasferias Scientific Activities for Youngsters on Holidays]

List of restaurants

2009-10-16T08:24:36Z

Mtjspaan: /* Close to IST */

Prices are approximate and include everything, unless otherwise stated.

== Portuguese ==

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| [http://floresta.webs.com/ Floresta da Estefânia]
| Rua Cidade da Horta, 39
| Crowded and down-to-earth place, long tables, fast service. Around € 8.
|-
| Rei da Pescada
| ?
| Closed on Thursdays.
|-
| [http://www.pastelariaversailles.com Versailles IST]
| Torre Norte, -1 floor
| Traditional Portuguese cuisine. Around € 10.
|}

== Vegetarian ==

=== Close to IST ===

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| [http://www.bemmequer.web.pt/ Bem-me-quer]
| Av. Almirante Reis, 152
| Nice food but not cheap. Fabulous chocolate cake.
|-
| Planeta-Bio
| Rua Francisco Sanches, 41
| Nice food, very cheap. With the ''mini prato misto'', you can mix any two dishes from the menu. Great tarts. Also known as "the Ukrainian place" because it is run by Ukrainians and nobody remembers the name of the place. About a 20 minute walk from IST.
|-
| GranoVita
| Rua Rebelo da Silva, 57
| Selection of hot and cold vegetarian food, sauces and side dishes. You make your own dish and then you pay by weight. Around € 10.
|-
| Lotus Oriente
| Av. Duque de Ávila, 42-B
| Nice food but not cheap. However, the buffet is highly recommended and affordable. Nice (but small) desserts.
|-
| Hare Krishna (ISKCON)
| Rua de Dona Estefânia, 91, r/c
| Hindu lacto-vegetarian food in a garden. Fixed menu (soup, main course, dessert, herbal tea), you can ask for refills. Soups are especially good. € 7.
|}

=== Far from IST ===

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| Os Tibetanos
| Rua do Salitre
| Fixed menu (soup, main course, dessert). Fixed price. Weird opening hours.
|}

== Other ==

=== Japanese ===

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! name
! address
! remarks
|-
| Osaka
| Av. Praia da Vitória, 35-B
| Order as many times as you want for a fixed price: around € 11 at lunch, € 16 at dinner (excluding drinks).
|-
| Samurai
| Rua de Dona Estefânia, 92-A
| Order as many times as you want for a fixed price: around € 11 at lunch, € 16 at dinner (excluding drinks).
|}

Intelligent Systems Lab

2009-10-15T17:48:35Z

Mtjspaan: /* ISLab workshop series */ added link to workshop page

== Projects ==

ISLab has been involved in several financed projects, both european and national.

=== Current projects ===

* [http://www.ipfn.ist.utl.pt/rh/ Activities Related to the Development of an Air Transfer System Prototype and Cask Transfer System Virtual Mock-up] (EURATOM Fusion for Energy / ITER)
* [http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt Decentralized Planning Under Uncertainty for Cooperative Systems] (FCT, 2007-2010)
* [http://urus.upc.es URUS: Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Settings] (EU FP6)
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob: Soccer Robots or Society of Robots] (ISR internal)
* [http://mediawiki.isr.ist.utl.pt/wiki/Institutional_Robotics Institutional Robotics] (ISR internal)

=== Past projects ===

* FEMDS
* HROSS
* SocRob2004/FCT
* RESCUE
* RAPOSA
* DARE
* MS-AGENCY

== Other research ==

Current research is being conducted by ISLab members on this core areas:

* [[Institutional Robotics]]
* [[Field Robotics]]
* [[Humanoid Robotics]]
* [[Formation State Estimation and Control]]
* [[Discrete Event Systems Based Robotic Task Modeling]]
* [[Planning under Uncertainty]]
* [[Cooperative Active Perception]]
* [[Cognitive Architectures]]

== ISR Associate Laboratory ==

The Intelligent Systems Lab has actively participated in the research activities within [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jasv/temaB/ theme B (Robotic Monitoring and Surveillance)] of Institute for Systems and Robotics -- Associate Laboratory.

== Workshops ==

The following workshops had ISLab members on their organizing comitees.

* [[Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics]] (October 2008)
* [http://masplan.isr.ist.utl.pt ICAPS'08 Multiagent Planning Workshop] (September 2008)
* [http://formal.isr.ist.utl.pt AAMAS'08 Workshop on Formal Models and Methods for Multi-Robot Systems] (May 2008)
* [http://aass.oru.se/Agora/ICRA05/ Workshop on Cooperative Robotics at ICRA'2005] (April 2005)

=== ISLab workshop series ===

Since 2003 ISLab has been promoting one-day internal workshops where lab members present and discuss their current work with all lab members. These workshops not only allow everybody to know what everybody is doing, but also to foster practice on public presentations. Although the workshops are held on a very informal fashion, students often take this opportunity to rehearse conference and thesis defense presentations.

* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/islabwks1.htm 1st edition] - February 23th, 2003
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/2nd_ISlab_Workshop.htm 2nd edition] - July 18th, 2003
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop3/index.html 3rd edition] - February 13th, 2004
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop4/index.html 4th edition] - November 12th, 2004
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop5/index.html 5th edition] - January 12th, 2006
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop6/index.html 6th edition] - October 3th, 2008
* [[7th ISLab Workshop]] - October 26th, 2009

== Institutional Links ==

The scientific community organizes itself on interest groups and associations. The leading organizations on the scientific areas of ISLab, and with which ISLab members play an active role, in various degrees, are listed here:

* http://www.aass.oru.se/Agora/EuronCoop/ — '''CR SIG''': EURON Special Interest Group on Cooperative Robotics
* http://www.ieee.org — '''IEEE''': Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
* http://www.aaai.org — '''AAAI''': Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence
* http://www.robocup.org — '''RoboCup''': Robot World Cup Initiative
* http://www.spr.ua.pt — '''SPR''': Sociedade Portuguesa de Robótica
* http://www.appia.pt — '''APPIA''': Associação Portuguesa Para a Inteligência Artificial

== Software ==

Public domain software developed at ISLab, in the context of research activities.

* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/software Multiagent decision process toolbox]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/decpomdp Dec-POMDP problem domains]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal/cadeiras/deds0708/deds/MatlabFSA.zip Matlab functions for FSA]
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/opensdk Open-source implementation of Sony's OPEN-R Development Kit]

Educational open source software developed by ISLab staff for [http://www.ist.utl.pt IST] courses (mostly [[Python resources|Python]]).

* Bayes filtering in 1-D (includes Discrete, Kalman, and occupancy grid mapping): [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/software/demo_bayes-1.2.py demo_bayes-1.2.py]
* Solving Sudoku using plain backtrack search: [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~yoda/iasd/sudoku.py sudoku.py]
* Pioneer DX3 robot interface software for MATLAB: [[Media:Matlab pioneer.zip|matlab_pioneer.zip]]

== Scientific Activities for Youngsters ==

ISLab has a long tradition on the dissemination of science and technology to youngsters, as the researchers of tomorrow are now among them.

* Pioneer project of S&T Education through Robotics: [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/roditas RODITAS]
* [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/cvnasferias Scientific Activities for Youngsters on Holidays]

7th ISLab Workshop

2009-10-15T17:45:21Z

Mtjspaan: added page for 7th islab workshop

ISLab Workshop, 7th edition

October 26th, 2009

=== Plan Representation Using Petri Nets ===

9:00-9:20 - Hugo Costelha, Petri Net Robotic Task Plan Representation: Modelling, Analysis and Execution

9:20-9:40 – Bruno Lacerda, Petri nets as an analysis tool for data flow in wireless sensor networks

9:40-10:00 – Manuel Biscaia, Supervisory Control of Petri Nets using Temporal Logic

10:00-10:20 – Nuno Rodrigues, Cooperative Behaviors Representation Based on Petri Nets

10:20-10:40 – Pedro Lima, Generalized Stochastic Petri Nets and Markov Decision Processes

10:40-11:00 – '''Coffee Break'''

=== Post-Doc Introduction (Hybrid Control) ===

11:00-11:20 – Rajneesh Sharma, Markov game based hybrid controllers for nonlinear systems

=== Humanoids and Human-Robot Interaction ===

11:20-11:40 – Carlos Neves, Methodologies for Antropomorfic Locomotion of Humanoids

11:40-12:00 – David Belo, A neurofeedback non-invasive BCI approach for robotic teleoperation

=== BII ===

12:00-12:15 – João Reis, Primitive Actions and Behaviors in SocRob

12:15-12:30 – João Carreira, Using MeRMaID in SocRob

12:30-12:45 – Pedro Santos, Desenvolvimento de Sistema de Visão Instalado em Robot Móvel

12:45-14:00 – '''Lunch'''

=== Perception ===

14:00-14:20 – Aamir Ahmad, Background Subtraction for Roto-translating Fish-eye Cameras Based on Rank Constraint for Point Trajectories

14:20-14:40 – João Estilita, Hardware Architecture and Calibration for Soccer Robots
Cooperative Perception

14:40-15:00 – Marco Barbosa, ISROBOTNET: A Testbed for Sensor and Robot Network Systems

15:00-15:20 – Matthijs Spaan, A Decision-theoretic Approach to Dynamic Sensor Selection in Camera Networks

15:20-15:40 – Tiago Veiga, Cooperative active perception using POMDPs

=== Collective Robotics ===

15:40-16:00 – José Nuno Pereira, Coordination through Institutional Roles in Robot Collectives

16:00-16:20 – '''Coffee Break'''

=== Planning Under Uncertainty ===

16:20-16:40 – Gonçalo Neto, Combining Supervisory Control and Reinforcement Learning to Control Robotic Tasks under Partial Observability

16:40-17:00 – Hugo Augusto, Autonomous Navigation and Cooperative Perception between Land and Aerial Vehicles

=== BII ===

17:00-17:15 – Ricardo Oliveira, Development of a platform for an autonomous humanoid robot – Bioloid

17:15-17:30 – Ricardo Grizonic, Second Life - Users' Receptivity

17:30-18:00 – Rui Gomes, Socrob Interface: steps toward the goal

18:00-18:15 – João Sousa, Design and Construction of an Electromagnetic Linear Actuator (Kicker)

18:15-18:30 – Henrique Silva, Kicker, a Electromagnetic System

=== Closing Remarks ===

18:30-18:40 – Pedro Lima

List of restaurants

2009-10-14T19:37:01Z

Mtjspaan: /* Vegetarian */ updated a bit

( ... under construction ... )

== Vegetarian ==

* '''Bio-Planeta''' - - great food and very cheap, notice the "mini prato misto" where you can mix any two dishes from the menu, great tarts. Also known as "the Ucranian place", as it is run by Ucranians and nobody remembers the name of the place.
* '''Bem-me-quer''' - - good food, not inexpensive, fabulous chocolate cake.
* '''Lotus Oriente''' - - great food, buffet highly recommended, great (but small) deserts, not inexpensive, but the buffet is quite affordable.
* '''Os Tibetanos''' - - interesting food, fixed menu, fixed price but includes soup, main course and desert. Rua do Salitre, so not close to IST at all. Weird opening hours.
* '''Hare Krishna''' - - Hare-Krishna-style eating in the garden. Fixed menu, but you can ask for a refill of your soup/dish/desert. Soups are very nice. Rua Dona Estefania 91.
* '''GranoVita''' - - this small place offers a large selection of hot and cold vegetarian food, sauces and side dishes. You make your own dish and then you pay by weight. Rua Rebelo da Silva, 57.

== Portuguese ==

* '''Rei da Pescada''' - - traditional Portuguese cuisine, good food, closes on thursdays.
* '''Versailles IST''' - - traditional Portuguese cuisine, good food, underground floor.

== International ==

Checklist for new VisLab members

2009-10-14T19:25:35Z

Mtjspaan: added link to Espadachim

This is a checklist to new Vislab members

* Ask to be included in the vislab mailing list.
* Ask for an svn username.
* Ask for an account in Cortex.

* If you are new to svn, read the [[SVN tutorial]].
* If you want to move Chico (the iCub), read the [[YARP tutorial]] and the [[CMake tutorial]].

* Learn how to get to [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=23+R.+Lucinda+do+Carmo,+Lisbon+1900,+Portugal&hl=en&geocode=FTgWTwIdfJF0_w%3BFSweTwId-KJ0_w&mra=ls&dirflg=w&sll=38.737365,-9.136677&sspn=0.009122,0.014699&ie=UTF8&z=17 Espadachim] (and back home...).

Intelligent Systems Lab

2009-02-10T17:16:04Z

Mtjspaan: /* Current projects */

== Projects ==

ISLab has been involved in several financed projects, both european and national.

=== Current projects ===

* [http://www.ipfn.ist.utl.pt/iter/ Activities Related to the Development of an Air Transfer System Prototype and Cask Transfer System Virtual Mock-up] (EURATOM Fusion for Energy / ITER)
* [http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt Decentralized Planning Under Uncertainty for Cooperative Systems] (FCT, 2007-2010)
* [http://urus.upc.es URUS: Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Settings] (EU FP6)
* [http://socrob.isr.ist.utl.pt SocRob: Soccer Robots or Society of Robots] (ISR internal)

=== Past projects ===

* FEMDS
* HROSS
* SocRob2004/FCT
* RESCUE
* RAPOSA
* DARE
* MS-AGENCY

== Other research ==

Current research is being conducted by ISLab members on this core areas:

* [[Institutional Robotics]]
* [[Field Robotics]]
* [[Formation State Estimation and Control]]
* [[Discrete Event Systems Based Robotic Task Modeling]]
* [[Planning under Uncertainty]]
* [[Cooperative Active Perception]]
* [[Cognitive Architectures]]

== ISR Associate Laboratory ==

The Intelligent Systems Lab has actively participated in the research activities within [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~jasv/temaB/ theme B (Robotic Monitoring and Surveillance)] of Institute for Systems and Robotics -- Associate Laboratory.

== Workshops ==

The following workshops had ISLab members on their organizing comitees.

* [[Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics]] (October 2008)
* [http://masplan.isr.ist.utl.pt ICAPS'08 Multiagent Planning Workshop] (September 2008)
* [http://formal.isr.ist.utl.pt AAMAS'08 Workshop on Formal Models and Methods for Multi-Robot Systems] (May 2008)
* [http://aass.oru.se/Agora/ICRA05/ Workshop on Cooperative Robotics at ICRA'2005] (April 2005)

=== ISLab workshop series ===

Since 2003 ISLab has been promoting one-day internal workshops where lab members present and discuss their current work with all lab members. These workshops not only allow everybody to know what everybody is doing, but also to foster practice on public presentations. Although the workshops are held on a very informal fashion, students often take this opportunity to rehearse conference and thesis defense presentations.

* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/islabwks1.htm 1st edition] - February 23th, 2003
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/2nd_ISlab_Workshop.htm 2nd edition] - July 18th, 2003
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop3/index.html 3rd edition] - February 13th, 2004
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop4/index.html 4th edition] - November 12th, 2004
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop5/index.html 5th edition] - January 12th, 2006
* [http://islab.isr.ist.utl.pt/htdocs/workshop6/index.html 6th edition] - October 3th, 2008

== Institutional Links ==

The scientific community organizes itself on interest groups and associations. The leading organizations on the scientific areas of ISLab, and with which ISLab members play an active role, in various degrees, are listed here:

* http://www.aass.oru.se/Agora/EuronCoop/ — "CR SIG": EURON Special Interest Group on Cooperative Robotics
* http://www.ieee.org — '''IEEE''': Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
* http://www.aaai.org — '''AAAI''': Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence
* http://www.robocup.org — '''RoboCup''': Robot World Cup Initiative
* http://www.spr.ua.pt — '''SPR''': Sociedade Portuguesa de Robótica
* http://www.appia.pt — '''APPIA''': Associação Portuguesa Para a Inteligência Artificial

== Software ==

Public domain software developed at ISLab, in the context of research activities.

* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/software Multiagent decision process toolbox]
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/decpomdp Dec-POMDP problem domains]
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/opensdk Open-source implementation of Sony's OPEN-R Development Kit]

== Scientific Activities for Youngsters on Holidays ==

ISLab has a long tradition on the dissemination of science and technology to youngsters, as the researchers of tomorrow are now among them.

More information [http://lci.isr.ist.utl.pt/projects/educational/cvnasferias here] (in Portuguese).

Cooperative Active Perception

2008-12-04T18:36:08Z

Mtjspaan:

One of the recent research topics at the Intelligent Systems Lab is cooperative active perception.
In our context, cooperative perception refers to the fusion
of sensory information between fixed surveillance cameras
and robots, with as goal maximizing the amount and quality of perceptual information available to the system.
This information can be used by a robot to choose its
actions, as well as providing a global picture for monitoring
the system. In general, incorporating information from
spatially distributed sensors will raise the level of situational
awareness.

Active perception means that an agent considers the effects
of its actions on its sensors, and in particular it tries
to improve their performance. This can mean selecting sensory
actions, for instance pointing a pan-and-tilt camera or
choosing to execute an expensive vision algorithm; or to influence
a robot’s path planning, e.g., given two routes to get
to a desired location, take the more informative one. Performance
can be measured by trading off the costs of executing
actions with how much we improve the quality of the information
available to the system, and should be derived from
the system’s task. Combining the two concepts, cooperative
active perception is the problem of active perception involving
multiple sensors and multiple cooperating decision
makers.

[[Image:robotPersonPOMDP.jpg|thumb|400px|right|Robot and person, observed by surveillance cameras, using POMDP decision making.]]

In general, we consider decision-theoretic approaches
to cooperative active perception. We propose
to use Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes
(POMDPs) as a
framework for active cooperative perception. POMDPs provide
an elegant way to model the interaction of an active
sensor with its environment. Based on prior knowledge of
the sensor’s model and the environment dynamics, we can
compute policies that tell the active sensor how to act, based
on the observations it receives. As we are essentially dealing
with multiple decision makers, it could also be beneficial to
consider modeling (a subset of) sensors as a decentralized
POMDP (Dec-POMDP).
In a cooperative perception framework, an important task
encoded by the (Dec-)POMDP could be to reduce the uncertainty
in its view of the environment as much as possible.
Entropy can be used as a suitable measure for uncertainty.
However, using a POMDP solution, we can tackle
more elaborate scenarios, for instance in which we prioritize
the tracking of certain objects. In particular, POMDPs
inherently trade off task completion and information gathering.

Cooperative Active Perception

2008-12-04T18:34:44Z

Mtjspaan: New page: One of the recent research topics at the Intelligent Systems Lab is cooperative active perception. In our context, cooperative perception refers to the fusion of sensory information betwee...

One of the recent research topics at the Intelligent Systems Lab is cooperative active perception.
In our context, cooperative perception refers to the fusion
of sensory information between fixed surveillance cameras
and robots, with as goal maximizing the amount and quality of perceptual information available to the system.
This information can be used by a robot to choose its
actions, as well as providing a global picture for monitoring
the system. In general, incorporating information from
spatially distributed sensors will raise the level of situational
awareness.

Active perception means that an agent considers the effects
of its actions on its sensors, and in particular it tries
to improve their performance. This can mean selecting sensory
actions, for instance pointing a pan-and-tilt camera or
choosing to execute an expensive vision algorithm; or to influence
a robot’s path planning, e.g., given two routes to get
to a desired location, take the more informative one. Performance
can be measured by trading off the costs of executing
actions with how much we improve the quality of the information
available to the system, and should be derived from
the system’s task. Combining the two concepts, cooperative
active perception is the problem of active perception involving
multiple sensors and multiple cooperating decision
makers.

[[Image:robotPersonPOMDP.jpg|thumb|400px|right|Robot and person, observed by surveillance cameras, using POMDP decision making.]]

In general, we consider decision-theoretic approaches
to cooperative active perception. We propose
to use Partially ObservableMarkov Decision Processes
(POMDPs) as a
framework for active cooperative perception. POMDPs provide
an elegant way to model the interaction of an active
sensor with its environment. Based on prior knowledge of
the sensor’s model and the environment dynamics, we can
compute policies that tell the active sensor how to act, based
on the observations it receives. As we are essentially dealing
with multiple decision makers, it could also be beneficial to
consider modeling (a subset of) sensors as a decentralized
POMDP (Dec-POMDP).
In a cooperative perception framework, an important task
encoded by the (Dec-)POMDP could be to reduce the uncertainty
in its view of the environment as much as possible.
Entropy can be used as a suitable measure for uncertainty.
However, using a POMDP solution, we can tackle
more elaborate scenarios, for instance in which we prioritize
the tracking of certain objects. In particular, POMDPs
inherently trade off task completion and information gathering.

File:RobotPersonPOMDP.jpg

2008-12-04T18:29:06Z

Mtjspaan:

File:RobotPersonPOMDP.png

2008-12-04T18:27:12Z

Mtjspaan:

Intelligent Systems Lab

2008-12-04T18:15:48Z

Mtjspaan: /* Other research */

== Projects ==

[http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt Decentralized Planning Under Uncertainty for Cooperative Systems] (FCT, 2007-2010)

[http://urus.upc.es Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Settings] (EU FP6)

== Other research ==
[[Institutional Robotics]]

[[Formation State Estimation and Control]]

[[Discrete Event Systems Based Robotic Task Modeling]]

[[Planning under Uncertainty]]

[[Cooperative Active Perception]]

== Workshops ==

[[Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics]] (October 2008)

[http://masplan.isr.ist.utl.pt ICAPS'08 Multiagent Planning Workshop] (September 2008)

[http://formal.isr.ist.utl.pt AAMAS'08 Workshop on Formal Models and Methods for Multi-Robot Systems] (May 2008)

== Institutional Links ==

== Software ==

[http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/software Multiagent decision process toolbox]

[http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/decpomdp Dec-POMDP problem domains]

== Scientific Activities for Youngsters on Holidays ==

Planning under uncertainty

2008-12-04T18:14:07Z

Mtjspaan: Planning under uncertainty moved to Planning under Uncertainty

#REDIRECT [[Planning under Uncertainty]]

Planning under Uncertainty

2008-12-04T18:14:07Z

Mtjspaan: Planning under uncertainty moved to Planning under Uncertainty

In the Intelligent Systems Lab, one of the research foci is planning under uncertainty. That is, we compute plans for single agents as well
as cooperative multiagent systems, in domains in which an agent is uncertain
about the exact consequences of its actions. Furthermore, it is equipped with
imperfect sensors, resulting in noisy sensor readings which provide only limited
information. For single agents, such planning problems are naturally framed in
the partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) paradigm. In a POMDP, uncertainty in acting
and sensing is captured in probabilistic models, and allows an agent to plan
on its belief state, which summarizes all the information the agent has received
regarding its environment. For the multiagent case, we frame our planning problem in
the decentralized POMDP (Dec-POMDP) framework.

Some of our results in this research area can be found at the [http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt DecPUCS] project page, as well as Matthijs Spaan's [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/publications/ publications].

Intelligent Systems Lab

2008-12-04T18:13:47Z

Mtjspaan: /* Other research */

== Projects ==

[http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt Decentralized Planning Under Uncertainty for Cooperative Systems] (FCT, 2007-2010)

[http://urus.upc.es Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Settings] (EU FP6)

== Other research ==
[[Institutional Robotics]]

[[Formation State Estimation and Control]]

[[Discrete Event Systems Based Robotic Task Modeling]]

[[Planning under Uncertainty]]

== Workshops ==

[[Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics]] (October 2008)

[http://masplan.isr.ist.utl.pt ICAPS'08 Multiagent Planning Workshop] (September 2008)

[http://formal.isr.ist.utl.pt AAMAS'08 Workshop on Formal Models and Methods for Multi-Robot Systems] (May 2008)

== Institutional Links ==

== Software ==

[http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/software Multiagent decision process toolbox]

[http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/decpomdp Dec-POMDP problem domains]

== Scientific Activities for Youngsters on Holidays ==

Planning under Uncertainty

2008-12-04T18:13:19Z

Mtjspaan: New page: In the Intelligent Systems Lab, one of the research foci is planning under uncertainty. That is, we compute plans for single agents as well as cooperative multiagent systems, in domains in...

Intelligent Systems Lab

2008-12-04T18:00:41Z

Mtjspaan: /* Software */

== Projects ==

[http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt Decentralized Planning Under Uncertainty for Cooperative Systems] (FCT, 2007-2010)

[http://urus.upc.es Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Settings] (EU FP6)

== Other research ==
[[Institutional Robotics]]

[[Formation State Estimation and Control]]

[[Discrete Event Systems Based Robotic Task Modeling]]

== Workshops ==

[[Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics]] (October 2008)

[http://masplan.isr.ist.utl.pt ICAPS'08 Multiagent Planning Workshop] (September 2008)

[http://formal.isr.ist.utl.pt AAMAS'08 Workshop on Formal Models and Methods for Multi-Robot Systems] (May 2008)

== Institutional Links ==

== Software ==

[http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/software Multiagent decision process toolbox]

[http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/decpomdp Dec-POMDP problem domains]

== Scientific Activities for Youngsters on Holidays ==

Intelligent Systems Lab

2008-12-04T17:59:00Z

Mtjspaan: /* Workshops */

== Projects ==

[http://decpucs.isr.ist.utl.pt Decentralized Planning Under Uncertainty for Cooperative Systems] (FCT, 2007-2010)

[http://urus.upc.es Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Settings] (EU FP6)

== Other research ==
[[Institutional Robotics]]

[[Formation State Estimation and Control]]

[[Discrete Event Systems Based Robotic Task Modeling]]

== Workshops ==

[[Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics]] (October 2008)

[http://masplan.isr.ist.utl.pt ICAPS'08 Multiagent Planning Workshop] (September 2008)

[http://formal.isr.ist.utl.pt AAMAS'08 Workshop on Formal Models and Methods for Multi-Robot Systems] (May 2008)

== Institutional Links ==

== Software ==

== Scientific Activities for Youngsters on Holidays ==

Intelligent Systems Lab

2008-12-04T17:54:53Z

Mtjspaan: /* Projects */

File:CoopRobPathak.pdf

2008-10-26T10:14:17Z

Mtjspaan: uploaded a new version of "Image:CoopRobPathak.pdf"

File:CoopRobVisser.pdf

2008-10-26T10:12:14Z

Mtjspaan:

Lisbon Workshop on New Challenges for Cooperative Robotics

2008-10-26T10:11:47Z

Mtjspaan: /* 24 Oct */

==Organizers==

Alessandro Saffiotti (AASS Mobile Robotics Lab, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden)

Pedro Lima (Institute for Systems and Robotics, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal)

==Objectives==

* Join together some of the top European experts in Cooperative Robotics, keeping the meetings that were regularly organized under the former [http://www.aass.oru.se/Agora/EuronCoop/ EURON Cooperative Robotics SIG], now that the EURON NoE is over.

* Discuss and prepare project proposals to submit to FP7 4th Call on Cognitive Systems, Interaction and Robotics.

==Dates==

24-26 October 2008

==Location==

Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Torre Norte, 7th floor (ISR meeting room, call 218418295) – tall tower closest to IST entrance by Av. António José de Almeida. Directions on a [[Media:CoopRobMap.png|map]] (approximately 1 Km between Hotel Roma (A) and IST (B), 10-15 mn walking).

==Invited Speakers==

* [http://www-iri.upc.es/groups/lrobots/people.html Alberto Sanfeliu] (Technical University of Catalonia, Spain)
* [http://www.aass.oru.se/~asaffio/ Alessandro Saffiotti] (AASS Mobile Robotics Lab, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden)
* [http://home.dei.polimi.it/bonarini/index.html Andrea Bonarini] (Politecnico di Milano, Italy)
* [http://robotics.iu-bremen.de/people/pathak/index.htm Kaustubh Pathak] (Jacobs University, Bremen, Germany)
* [http://www.kovan.ceng.metu.edu.tr/~erol/Home.html Erol Sahin] (Middle East Technical University, Turkey)
* [http://www.science.uva.nl/~arnoud/ Arnoud Visser] (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
* [http://www2.inf.fh-brs.de/~gkraet2m/index.php Gerhard Kraetzschmar] (Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences)
* [http://www.cmpe.boun.edu.tr/~akin/ H. Levent Akin] (Bogazici University, Turkey)
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~mtjspaan/ Matthijs Spaan] (Institute for Systems and Robotics, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal)
* [http://monicareggiani.net/ Monica Reggiani] (Universita' degli Studi di Padova, Italy)
* [http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~pal/ Pedro Lima] (Institute for Systems and Robotics, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal)

==Program==

===24 Oct===
09:00 - 09:30: Introduction to the meeting (purpose, method), by A. Saffiotti and P. Lima

09:30 - 11:00: 3 invited talks

* [[Media:CoopRobLima.pdf|A Systems Theory Approach to Cooperative Robotics and Sensor Networks]], by Pedro Lima
* [[Media:CoopRobSaffiotti.pdf|The PEIS-Ecology Project: vision and results]], by Alessandro Saffiotti
* [[Media:CoopRobBonarini.pdf|Multi-Robot learning: motivations and approaches]], by Andrea Bonarini

11:00 - 11:30: coffee-break

11:30 - 12:30: 2 invited talks

* [[Media:CoopRobSpaan.pdf|Multiagent Planning under Uncertainty with Stochastic Communication Delays]], by Matthijs Spaan
* [[Media:CoopRobVisser.pdf|Multi-robot Exploration with Limited Communication in the RoboCup Rescue]], by Arnoud Visser

12:30 - 14:30: Lunch Break

14:30 - 16:00: debate on morning talks

16:00 - 16:30: coffee-break

16:30 - 19:00: preparation of proposals to be submitted to EU FP7 (only the invited speakers)

===25 Oct===

09:00 - 11:00: 4 invited talks:

* [[Media:CoopRobSanfeliu.pdf|Cooperative issues in Network Robot Systems]], by Alberto Sanfeliu
* [[Media:CoopRobPathak.pdf|Cooperative Robotics at Jacobs: Mapping and Navigation]], by Kaustubh Pathak
* [[Media:CoopRobReggiani.pdf|Architecture Paradigms for Robotic Applications]], by Monica Reggiani
* [[Media:CoopRobKraetzschmar.pdf|Software Engineering Trends in Robotics]], by Gerhard Kraetzschmar

11:00 - 11:30: coffee-break

11:30 - 12:30: 2 invited talks

* Approximate Solutions of Dec-POMDP Problems, by H. Levent Akin
* [[Media:CoopRobSahin.pdf|Self-organized flocking of mobile robots]], by Erol Sahin

12:30 - 14:30: Lunch Break

14:30 - 16:00: debate on morning talks

16:00 - 16:30: coffee-break

16:30 - 18:00: preparation of proposals to be submitted to EU FP7 (only the invited speakers)

20:00 : Dinner

===26 Oct===

(only the 11 invited speakers)

09:00 - 13:00: preparation of proposals to be submitted to EU FP7

13:00 : End of the meeting

==Support==

This meeting has the financial support of [http://www.isr.ist.utl.pt ISR] and [http://www.fct.mctes.pt FCT].

[[Image:ISR.png]] [[Image:FCT.png]]

File:CoopRobSahin.pdf

2008-10-25T22:51:00Z

Mtjspaan: