Grasping is a complex process involving knowledge of the object, the surroundings, and of oneself. While humans are able to integrate and process all of the sensory information required for performing this task, equipping machines with this capability is an extremely challenging endeavor. In this paper, we investigate how deep learning techniques can allow us to translate high-level concepts such as motor imagery to the problem of robotic grasp synthesis. We explore a paradigm based on generative models for learning integrated object-action representations, and demonstrate its capacity for capturing and generating multimodal, multi-finger grasp configurations on a simulated grasping dataset.
Within robotics, our work shares some similarities to the notion of (ED), where prior knowledge is used to either synthesize grasps partially (i.e. through constraints or algorithmic priors @cite_0 ) or fully, by using previously executed grasps. Our work is also similar in spirit to the concept of @cite_9 , which define a continuous space for grasp and shape configurations.
@cite_0 @cite_9
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We review the work on data-driven grasp synthesis and the methodologies for sampling and ranking candidate grasps. We divide the approaches into three groups based on whether they synthesize grasps for known, familiar or unknown objects. This structure allows us to identify common object representations and perceptual processes that facilitate the employed data-driven grasp synthesis technique. In the case of known objects, we concentrate on the approaches that are based on object recognition and pose estimation. In the case of familiar objects, the techniques use some form of a similarity matching to a set of previously encountered objects. Finally for the approaches dealing with unknown objects, the core part is the extraction of specific features that are indicative of good grasps. Our survey provides an overview of the different methodologies and discusses open problems in the area of robot grasping. We also draw a parallel to the classical approaches that rely on analytic formulations. The future of robots, as our companions is dependent on their ability to understand, interpret and represent the environment in a human compatible manner. Towards this aim, this work attempts to create a hierarchical probabilistic concept-oriented representation of space, based on objects. Specifically, it details efforts taken towards learning and generating concepts and attempts to classify places using the concepts gleaned. Several algorithms, from naive ones using only object category presence to more sophisticated ones using both objects and relationships, are proposed. Both learning and inference use the information encoded in the underlying representation-objects and relative spatial information between them. The approaches are based on learning from exemplars, clustering and the use of Bayesian network classifiers. The approaches are generative. Further, even though they are based on learning from exemplars, they are not ontology specific; i.e. they do not assume the use of any particular ontology. The presented algorithms rely on a robots inherent high-level feature extraction capability (object recognition and structural element extraction) capability to actually form concept models and infer them. Thus, this report presents methods that could enable a robot to to link sensory information to increasingly abstract concepts (spatial constructs). Such a conceptualization and the representation that results thereof would enable robots to be more cognizant of their surroundings and yet, compatible to us. Experiments on conceptualization and place classification are reported. Thus, the theme of this work is-conceptualization and classification for representation and spatial cognition. © 2014 IEEE. In many complex robot applications, such as grasping and manipulation, it is difficult to program desired task solutions beforehand, as robots are within an uncertain and dynamic environment. In such cases, learning tasks from experience can be a useful alternative. To obtain a sound learning and generalization performance, machine learning, especially, reinforcement learning, usually requires sufficient data. However, in cases where only little data is available for learning, due to system constraints and practical issues, reinforcement learning can act suboptimally. In this paper, we investigate how model-based reinforcement learning, in particular the probabilistic inference for learning control method (Pilco), can be tailored to cope with the case of sparse data to speed up learning. The basic idea is to include further prior knowledge into the learning process. As Pilco is built on the probabilistic Gaussian processes framework, additional system knowledge can be incorporated by defining appropriate prior distributions, e.g. A linear mean Gaussian prior. The resulting Pilco formulation remains in closed form and analytically tractable. The proposed approach is evaluated in simulation as well as on a physical robot, the Festo Robotino XT. For the robot evaluation, we employ the approach for learning an object pick-up task. The results show that by including prior knowledge, policy learning can be sped up in presence of sparse data. We present an approach that enables robots to learn motion primitives that are robust towards state estimation uncertainties. During reaching and preshaping, the robot learns to use fine manipulation strategies to maneuver the object into a pose at which closing the hand to perform the grasp is more likely to succeed. In contrast, common assumptions in grasp planning and motion planning for reaching are that these tasks can be performed independently, and that the robot has perfect knowledge of the pose of the objects in the environment.