Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Should Mobile Robots Have a Head?

A Rationale Based on Behavior, Automatic Control and Signal Processing

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems (Living Machines 2018)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 10928))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

This paper presents an interdisciplinary study of the role of the head in multisensory integration and motor-control organization for the production of voluntary spatial actions. It combines elements from biology and engineering. First, morphological and behavioral characteristics of animals able to perform voluntary spatial actions through evolution are examined. The complexity of state-space representation and observation of multi-joint mobile robots is then described in the context of automatic control, and perception-related characteristics brought by the presence of a head are presented from the perspective of signal processing. Finally, the role of the head in locomotion and manipulation for animals and robots is discussed, paving the way for future robot design.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Bajcsy, R.: Active perception. Proc. IEEE 76(8), 966–1005 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Barbeito, R., Ono, H.: Four methods of locating the egocenter: a comparison of their predictive validities and reliabilities. Behav. Res. Methods Instrum. 11(1), 31–36 (1979)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bateson, P., Laland, K.N.: Tinbergen’s four questions: an appreciation and an update. Trends Ecol. Evol. 28(12), 712–718 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Boyer, F., Porez, M., Leroyer, A., Visonneau, M.: Fast dynamics of an eel-like robot: comparisons with Navier-Stokes simulation. IEEE Trans. Robot. 24(6), 1274–1288 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Budd, G.E., Jensen, S.: The origin of the animals and a ‘savannah’ hypothesis for early bilaterian evolution. Biol. Rev. 92(1), 446–473 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Clark, J.J., Yuille, A.L.: Data Fusion for Sensory Information Processing Systems, vol. 105. Springer, New York (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ernst, M.O., Banks, M.S.: Humans integrate visual and haptic information in a statistically optimal fashion. Nature 415(6870), 429–433 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Erwin, D.H., Laflamme, M., Tweedt, S.M., Sperling, E.A., Pisani, D., Peterson, K.J.: The cambrian conundrum: early divergence and later ecological success in the early history of animals. Science 334(6059), 1091–1097 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Hillis, J.M., Ernst, M.O., Banks, M.S., Landy, M.S.: Combining sensory information: mandatory fusion within, but not between, senses. Science 298(5598), 1627–1630 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ijspeert, A.J., Crespi, A., Ryczko, D., Cabelguen, J.M.: From swimming to walking with a salamander robot driven by a spinal cord model. Science 315(5817), 1416–1420 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Laumond, J.P., Benallegue, M., Carpentier, J., Berthoz, A.: The yoyo-man. Int. J. Robot. Res. 36(13–14), 1508–1520 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Legreneur, P., Laurin, M., Bels, V.: Predator-prey interactions paradigm: a new tool for artificial intelligence. Adapt. Behav. 20(1), 3–9 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Lorenz, K.: The foundations of ethology. Springer, New York (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Manzanares, M., Wada, H., Itasaki, N., Trainor, P.A., Krumlauf, R., Holland, P.W.: Conservation and elaboration of hox gene regulation during evolution of the vertebrate head. Nature 408(6814), 854–857 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. McGurk, H., MacDonald, J.: Hearing lips and seeing voices. Nature 264(5588), 746–748 (1976)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Menon, C., Murphy, M., Sitti, M.: Gecko inspired surface climbing robots. In: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics. IEEE (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Naveau, M., Kudruss, M., Stasse, O., Kirches, C., Mombaur, K., Souères, P.: A reactive walking pattern generator based on nonlinear model predictive control. IEEE Robot. Autom. Lett. 2(1), 10–17 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Neelon, M.F., Brungart, D.S., Simpson, B.D.: The isoazimuthal perception of sounds across distance: a preliminary investigation into the location of the audio egocenter. J. Neurosci. 24(35), 7640–7647 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Pecoits, E., Konhauser, K.O., Aubet, N.R., Heaman, L.M., Veroslavsky, G., Stern, R.A., Gingras, M.K.: Bilaterian burrows and grazing behavior at \(>\)585 million years ago. Science 336(6089), 1693–1696 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Pettorossi, V.E., Schieppati, M.: Neck proprioception shapes body orientation and perception of motion. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 8, 895 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Pozzo, T., Berthoz, A., Lefort, L.: Head stabilization during various locomotor tasks in humans. Exp. Brain Res. 82(1), 97–106 (1990)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Ruffier, F., Viollet, S., Amic, S., Franceschini, N.: Bio-inspired optical flow circuits for the visual guidance of micro air vehicles. In: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Circuits and Systems. IEEE (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Saab, L., Ramos, O.E., Keith, F., Mansard, N., Soueres, P., Fourquet, J.Y.: Dynamic whole-body motion generation under rigid contacts and other unilateral constraints. IEEE Trans. Robot. 29(2), 346–362 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Schleidt, W.M.: How “fixed” is the fixed action pattern? Ethology 36(1–5), 184–211 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Shannon, C.E.: Communication in the presence of noise. Proc. IRE 37(1), 10–21 (1949)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  26. Sira-Ramirez, H., Agrawal, S.K.: Differentially Flat Systems. CRC Press, Boca Raton (2004)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  27. Sukemiya, H., Nakamizo, S., Ono, H.: Location of the auditory egocentre in the blind and normally sighted. Perception 37(10), 1587–1595 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Tinbergen, N.: On aims and methods of ethology. Ethology 20(4), 410–433 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Wilson, V., Boyle, R., Fukushima, K., Rose, P., Shinoda, Y., Sugiuchi, Y., Uchino, Y.: The vestibulocollic reflex. J. Vestib. Res. Equilibr. Orient. 5(3), 147–170 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Zhang, Q., Pless, R.: Extrinsic calibration of a camera and laser range finder (improves camera calibration). In: IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (2004)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Authors thank Drs. André Nel and Romain Garrouste (Sorbonne Université, ISYEB, France) for courteously providing pictures of Fig. 1. This work was partially funded by the FLAG-ERA JTC project ROBOCOM++.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. LAAS-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse, France

    François Bailly, Bruno Watier & Philippe Souères

  2. UMR 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs: Des Organismes aux Communautés, CNRS, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France

    Emmanuelle Pouydebat

  3. Institut de Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Paris, France

    Vincent Bels

Authors
  1. François Bailly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Emmanuelle Pouydebat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bruno Watier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Vincent Bels
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Philippe Souères
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to François Bailly .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. SPECS, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain

    Vasiliki Vouloutsi

  2. Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des, Université Paris Diderot, Paris Cedex 13, France

    José Halloy

  3. SPECS, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain

    Anna Mura

  4. University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

    Michael Mangan

  5. Bristol University, Bristol, United Kingdom

    Nathan Lepora

  6. University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

    Tony J. Prescott

  7. SPECS, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain

    Paul F.M.J. Verschure

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Bailly, F., Pouydebat, E., Watier, B., Bels, V., Souères, P. (2018). Should Mobile Robots Have a Head?. In: Vouloutsi , V., et al. Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems. Living Machines 2018. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 10928. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95972-6_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95972-6_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-95971-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-95972-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation