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Assistant Personal Robot (APR): Conception and Application of a Tele-Operated Assisted Living Robot

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Assistant Personal Robot (APR): Conception and Application of a Tele-Operated Assisted Living Robot sensors Article Assistant Personal Robot (APR): Conception and Application of a Tele-Operated Assisted Living Robot Eduard Clotet, Dani Martínez, Javier Moreno, Marcel Tresanchez and Jordi Palacín * Department of Computer Science and Industrial Engineering, Universitat de Lleida, Jaume II, 69, 25001 Lleida, Spain; [email protected] (E.C.); [email protected] (D.M.); [email protected] (J.M.); [email protected] (M.T.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +34-973-702-760; Fax: +34-973-702-702 Academic Editor: Gonzalo Pajares Martinsanz Received: 31 December 2015; Accepted: 24 April 2016; Published: 28 April 2016 Abstract: This paper presents the technical description, mechanical design, electronic components, software implementation and possible applications of a tele-operated mobile robot designed as an assisted living tool. This robotic concept has been named Assistant Personal Robot (or APR for short) and has been designed as a remotely telecontrolled robotic platform built to provide social and assistive services to elderly people and those with impaired mobility. The APR features a fast high-mobility motion system adapted for tele-operation in plain indoor areas, which incorporates a high-priority collision avoidance procedure. This paper presents the mechanical architecture, electrical fundaments and software implementation required in order to develop the main functionalities of an assistive robot. The APR uses a tablet in order to implement the basic peer-to-peer videoconference and tele-operation control combined with a tactile graphic user interface. The paper also presents the development of some applications proposed in the framework of an assisted living robot. Keywords: Assistant Personal Robot; telecontrol; mobile robot; peer-to-peer video; assisted living 1. Introduction The Assistant Personal Robot (or APR) is proposed as a remotely telecontrolled mobile robotic platform with videoconference capabilities. The APR is designed to provide telepresence services [1] primarily for the elderly and those with mobility impairments. Reports from diverse institutions, such as the United Nations [2] and World Health Organization [3], postulate that the proportion of people aged 60 or over is expected to rise from 12% to 21% during the next 35 years as a result of a clear increase of human life expectancy. According to these predictions, elderly care is one of the fields where new technologies have to be applied in the form of passive monitoring systems [4,5] and also as autonomous and tele-operated robots. Such robots can be used to provide assistance to the elderly and people with mobility problems in homes and institutions [6]. The development of assistive robots can provide benefits through the development of optimized solutions for some specific problems that appear in typical household domains [7,8]. A review of the technical description of some mobile robots proposed for telepresence applications is available in [8]. As examples of these applications: in [9] a robotic assistant was used in order to help the residents of a geriatric institution perform their daily routine; in [10] an assistive robot was proposed to help elderly people with mild cognitive impairments; in [7] a telepresence robot showed positive results in domestic elder care assistance; in [11] a telepresence robot was used to improve communication and interaction between people with dementia and their relatives; finally, in [12] a home care monitoring system was proposed, based on a fixed sensor network infrastructure and some physiological sensors, offering the possibility of a virtual visit via a tele-operated mobile robot. Sensors 2016, 16, 610; doi:10.3390/s16050610 www.mdpi.com/journal/sensors SensorsSensors2016 2016,,16 16,, 610 22 of of 23 23 In the context of this paper, a typical example for the application of a household robot is the In the context of this paper, a typical example for the application of a household robot is development of functionalities focused on detecting human inactivity, falls or other accidental the development of functionalities focused on detecting human inactivity, falls or other accidental situations. In this case, one of the goals is the reduction of the reaction time for external assistance. situations. In this case, one of the goals is the reduction of the reaction time for external assistance. This This aspect is very important because approximately one third of the population aged over 65 falls aspect is very important because approximately one third of the population aged over 65 falls every every year [13] and, in most of the cases, are unable to recover by their own means or ask for year [13] and, in most of the cases, are unable to recover by their own means or ask for assistance [14]. assistance [14]. The consequences for elderly people are not limited to physical injuries because a The consequences for elderly people are not limited to physical injuries because a loss of self-confidence loss of self-confidence also affects mobility drastically [15]. Therefore, telecontrolled mobile robots also affects mobility drastically [15]. Therefore, telecontrolled mobile robots can be used for social can be used for social interaction by decreasing isolation and promoting positive emotions and interaction by decreasing isolation and promoting positive emotions and psychological reinforcement. psychological reinforcement. The APR is designed to provide remote general assistance and help to elderly people and those The APR is designed to provide remote general assistance and help to elderly people and those withwith impairedimpaired mobilitymobility inin conventionalconventional unstructuredunstructured environments. Figure 11 showsshows anan imageimage of the APRAPR nextnext toto somesome volunteersvolunteers toto indicateindicate its size. Mobility is provided by by omnidirectional omnidirectional wheels wheels that that cancan movemove the the APR APR in in any any direction direction without without performing performing intermediate intermediate trajectory trajectory maneuvers. maneuvers. The headThe ofhead the APRof the is APR based is on based an Android on an Android Tablet, can Tablet, be rotated can be horizontally rotated horizontally and vertically, and and vertically, implements and theimplements videoconference the videoconference capabilities for capabilities telecontrol for and telecontrol telepresence. and Thetelepresence. APR includes The onboardAPR includes Light Detectiononboard Light and RangingDetection (LIDAR) and Ranging sensors (LIDAR) which sensor detects thewhich distance detect tothe the distance surrounding to the surrounding objects on a two-dimensionalobjects on a two-dimensional plane by measuring plane by the measuring time-of-flight the oftime-of-flight a rotating laser of a beam. rotating The laser main beam. electronic The boardmain electronic of the APR board uses of the the information APR uses the of information the LIDAR sensorsof the LIDAR directly sensors to implement directly to a high-priorityimplement a collisionhigh-priority avoidance collision procedure avoidance which procedure is able which to stop is theable mobile to stop robot. the mobile The APR robot. also The has APR two also mobile has armstwo withmobile one arms degree with of freedom one degree and which of freed can beom rotated and which clockwise can and be counterclockwiserotated clockwise through and ˝ 360counterclockwiseand placed at through any desired 360° angular and placed orientation. at any desired The arms angular can be orientation. used for gestural The arms interaction can be used or as afor soft gestural handle interaction as a walking or support.as a soft handle as a walking support. Figure 1. Comparative image of the APR. Figure 1. Comparative image of the APR. The new contribution of this paper is the complete technical description of a tele-operated mobileThe robot new contributiondesigned for of thisassisted paper living. is the completeComparing technical the capabilities description of of the a tele-operated APR with the mobile 16 robotcommercial designed and for prototype assisted mobile living. robots Comparing reviewed the capabilitiesin [8], the APR of the includes APR with common the 16 devices commercial and andfunctionalities prototype mobileavailable robots in other reviewed mobile in robots [8], the designed APR includes for telepresence. common devices The APR and is functionalities not designed with adjustable height, a capability included in four of the 16 robots reviewed. The APR includes an Sensors 2016, 16, 610 3 of 23 Sensors 2016, 16, 610 3 of 23 available in other mobile robots designed for telepresence. The APR is not designed with adjustable omnidirectional motion system, which is included in two of the 16 robots reviewed. The APR height, a capability included in four of the 16 robots reviewed. The APR includes an omnidirectional includes ambient sensors, a capability not included in any of the mobile robots reviewed. Finally, the motion system, which is included in two of the 16 robots reviewed. The APR includes ambient sensors, APR includes soft arms that can be used as a support for walking, a feature which is not usually a capability not included in any of the mobile robots reviewed. Finally, the APR includes soft arms available in telepresence mobile robots. that can be used as a support for walking, a feature which is not usually available in telepresence mobile2. Mechanical robots. Design 2. MechanicalThe mechanical Design design of
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