Artif l.ife Robotics (1999) 3:1 14 ◎ ISARO13 1999 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Masanori Sugisaka Design of an artificial brain for robots Received: May 30, 1998 / Accepted: June 30, 1998 Abstract This paper proposes a new information pro- interfaces. The control was produced by the RN-2000 cessing and control system, which is called artificial brain neurocomputer, which is able to learn various control laws (ABrain), for robotics using neurocomputers ar-rd a Von- instantly, in order to track a moving object within a prede- Neumann-type microcomputer, and interfaces operating termined range o[ errors. these computers. We introduce three robotic systems with We have also developed a fast pattern recognition ABrains developed recently in our laboratory. One is an system based on moment invariants using the primitive ABrain to recognize the objects in a robotic system for ABrain.e'1o The fast pattern recognition system consists of a recognition and tracking. The others are an ABrain fbr CCD video camera, an image processing system named controlling the duty ratio in the robot system for recogni- FDM, a monitor, two stand lights, a NEC PC-9801 micro- tion and tracking, ancl an ABrain for controlling the computer, and a RICOH neurocomputer RN-2000 which is steering angle in an intelligent mobile vehicle. Based on considered as the primitive ABrain. Experimental studies our results, we present a realization of a general type to recognize five dynamic patterns of Japanese chestnuts of ABrain to recognize a moving pattc-nt and track it were performed. From the studies, a high speed of both simultaneously. learning and recognition has been achieved compared with the former pattern recognition system based on the soft- Key words ABrain Pattern recognition I'racking ware of artiflcial neural networks developed by us." In Neurocomputer additon, we have also developed an intelligent navigation technique for a mobile vehiclel2-Is for smooth running using the primitive ABrain. rs Based on the systems developed in our laboratory, the !ntroduction configuration of a new ABrain is proposed in this paper. First, we give the general concepts of the ABrain.rcre .Wc have alrcady developcd a prilnitive artincial brain Second, we consider how to make the ABrain. Third, we (denotcd ABrain),l which was cOnstructed by one neuro‐ give preliminary results obtained from our recent studies to C01mputer and a Von¨Neulnann― type NEC PC-9801■ licro― design a general type of ABrain. Then we propose a general COmputer, fOr traCking a mOVing ObiCCt,utiliZing Our structure for the ABrain to perform various behavioral pre,1。 us results.2 6rrhe systenl consists of one cc)I)vide。 functions such as learning, recognition, decisions, etc., can■era;two]〕 C nlotors with cncOders,one on the hOrizon‐ based on adaptation, evolution, self-organization, and the tal axiS aind One the vertical axis;a pulse― width lnodulatiOn emergence of robotics. (PWM)driving unit;a32‐ bit mi∝ ocomputer NEC PC_ 9801: the iRIC(DII neurocon■ puter R:N-2000;7,8 and their What is the ABrain? M. Sugisaka (f!) In this section, we show what the ABrain is. Before we Departmcnt of E,lectrical and Electronic Enginecring, Oita explain it, we state briefly the reason why the ABrain is University, 7[X) Dannohara, Oita 870-11, Japan necessary. If a new ABrain like a human Tel. + 8 1 -975-.54-7U3 I I Fax + 8 1 -t)75,-54-784 I brain is developed c mltil: msugitc cc.6ila-u.at.jp and is imbedded into a robot or a machine, it will become friendly toward human beings. If emotion emerges from the 'l'his -llhird work was presented, in part, at the Intoruational Sympo- ABrain of a robot, the robot is able to behave like a human siunr on Artificial Life ancl Robotics, Oita, Japan, January l9--2i, l99g being. In other words, it means that we give artiflcial life to 8 'Ihis the robot by installing the Allrain. is a dream which The ABrain for a robot consists of three partial ABrain, many engineers have wanted to achieve for a long tin.re. as statcd above: (1) R-ABrain, (2) T,D-ABrain, (3) B- Let us focus our attention on the functions of the ABrain. Consequently, the ABrain in thc robot is able ABrain. What is the Allrain? Figure 1 shows the flow of to recognize objects, to think how to behave, to make a inforntation and lcarning in the Atsrain. Stimulus from a decision, and to take action. Thc structures or netrvork sensor is transl'erred into the neural network system for systems of the three partial ABrains arc illustrated in recognition, which is denoted the ABrain for recognition outline in Fig. 2. (the R-ABrain) in the brain's nervous system. 'l'he results processeci by the R-ABrain are transferred into the neural network system for thinking, and based on the rcsults pro- How to make an ccssed by the neural network system, a clecision will be ABrain made for what kind of behavior should be taken. This neu- ral nctwork system is called the ABrain for thinking Onc way for us to build an ABrain for a robot is by utilizing and decision (the'I',D-ABrain). The output proccssed by thc functions of the human brain. The functions of a hurnan the T,D-ABrain is transferred into the neural network sys- brain are still not clarifled, and it is regarded as a complex tem for bchavior or action, which is called the ABrain for adaptive system. The human brain and the nervous system behavior (the B-ABrain). Finally, stirnulus processecl by the in the whole body consists of a huge set of neural network B-ABrain is transferred into the actuators ancl clrivers ir.r systems, which are an aggregation of neurcns. The ultra- order for the system or robot to achieve a predeterminecl structurc of tl'rc neuron, which is a unit for information 22 objective. processing, is shown in Fig. 3.20 We nor,v illustrate an example of the functions of thc A new research field for building ABrain for robots has ABrain. When a human bcing sees a tiger, thc human being rccently been developcd by mixing brain science and engi- runs away in order to aviod danger. On the othcr hancl, neering such as VLSI harclware and computer software. when a human being sees a cake, the human being tries tcr Realization of arr ABrain by hardrvare architecture with eat it. This example suggests both what the ABrain is ancl self-organizing functions as stated above, is a clream of rvhat we should make. human beings for the tlventy-first century. Our efforts to- A learning process is includccl in the ABrains (R- rvard this object should yield a better life f<rr human beings. ABrain; T,D-ABrain; and B-ABrain), as illustrated in Fig. Before proposing the general structure of the ABrain for a 1. After the lcarning process has finished, the results robot, we will first show the structure of the primitive lcarned are memorized as a posteriori knowledge. The ABrain developed recently in our laboratory. The primitive results will be partially memorized into a gcne as a pr-iori ARrain was used for both controlling motorsr.ls ancl recog- knowledge in the evolutionary process. Differences clearly nizing patterns of ern object.el0 exist between an adult's brain and a baby's brain, ancl wc focus our attention on building an ABrain like an aclult,s brain. Development of the ABrain The ABrain developed in our laboratory on February 2, lu9.5r (dcnr,rted ABrain- I ) was inslallccl into a recognil iorr and tracking system for moving objects.2 This ABrain is Stimulus able to learn how to control two DC motors for tracking a moving object in three-dirnensirxral space by itself instantly. a Thereafter, we devcloped an Atsrain on February 28. ru Recognition I995e (denoted ABrain-2) to recognize five dynamic pat- A priori terns of Japanese chestnuts. We developed an ABrain or-r a memory February 1.7, 199'lts (denoted ABrain-3) for controlling thc j angle of the steering wheels of a mobilc vehicle. We rvill Thinking explain each ABrain briefly below. Learning ABrain-1 Decision posteri rt memory ABrain-1r consists of a 32-bit Von-Neumann-type micro- computer NEC PC-9801[3A, a RICOH neurocomputer RN- Behavior 2000 (Yamato), the intcrlaces, the software (Nadeshiko) for both constructing a neural nctwork and learning a contrcll Exarnple: tiger > run away law by it, and the software for tracking a moving object. cake ' want to eat Stimulus ABrain-l for a recognition and tracking system lor mov- ing objects is shown in Fig. 4. Dctailed descriptions of the Fig. 1 Flowchart of information processing in the ABrain system have been givcn previously.3-6 The solid line in Fig. 4 Fig.2a-c Component parts of moment the artificial brain. a Artificial invariants brain for recognition (R- ABrain), b artificial brain for NEC PC9801 A for cognition thinking and decisions (T,D- Ｑ sensor input NEURO― ABrain) (selfJearning and self-thinking), c arlificial brain COMPUTERI Ｑ into artificial for behavior (B-ABrain) RN braln for thinking and 1/0 Ｑ decision(TD― ABrain) a of circuit It of recogn RN-2000 and deo ision (input for NEC PC9801 β A B― AB b |~llこ C9 NEURO― neural network for behavior 1/F 00MPUTER RN input into driver, 1/0 -2000 C ・Ｌ 】． 賄 lra6 一一―く PC9801 A CCD Camera Video 1/F BOard E Para‖e! 1/O Board M Axon Hillock Soma ｔ ｎ ａ ｐ Para‖ e: ｒ ｍ ｉ ｎ ・ E M 1/O board ｏ cSp ％ Ｅ ｄ ” Axon ｎ 。 輌 軍 ｒ ａ ｔ ・ 一 ‐ｌ ｕ ｒ ｎ Pla3ma ｉｃ‐ｅ Motors Dendrits {N138: Msmblano NeurocOmputer Sub3tanCel Driving Circuit RN-2000 Fig.