January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

DIOS – A Distributed Intelligent Operating Schema

Dr. Reuven Granot and Chad Trytten

Spark Robotics Inc.

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

Machines for Risky Intervention

• Autonomous and human supervised autonomous robots for risky intervention require intelligent capabilities executed by machines in a timely fashion.

• Machine intelligence may be achieved by the interaction of control agents acting in a dynamic environment.

• Let’s consider an example: Neutralization of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

Example: Neutralization of a CBRN-E device.

• The scenario of a terror attack using an IED is today a major concern in Europe and in the rest of the world. – In the near future it may contain Chemical, Biological,

Radiological or Nuclear (CBRN-E ) agents– It is also reasonable to be used as a tool for threat

and as such may be found before its activation.

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

The Problem• Unknown structure and design

– As an improvised device presents the human operator team with unknown and unexpected situations.

– Needs more accurate technical treatment than neutralization of usual explosive devices in order to reduce to zero the possibilities of human error.

• A lot of general information is available– large variety of information data bases for situation

analysis – integration of a large variety of tools for sensing or

acting

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

The Problem• The neutralizing device should be assembled and integrated from

several systems.• Connection to device information databases over the Internet. • Sensors and actuators required to perform the task should be

handy. However,– before the incident occurs, only some of the sensors to be used

for analysis, can be allocated.– while actuators and sensors to be used during the

neutralization phase can be allocated only after the analysis phase is completed.

– The operating system has to be built on the spot and under the constraints of a crisis situation, in a timely fashion and with extremely high quality assurance.

• This is of course a very demanding task.

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

The neutralization robot• Is developed beforehand, but its functionality has to be

flexible enough to be adapted to very different situations. • From some aspects it should be possible to reintegrate

its components according to the specific scenario.

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

The Intelligent Command, Communication and Control System • The responsibility to control and monitor

the Global Goal in a very professional and reliable manner.

• Will perform under a Human Autonomous Supervisory Control regime.

• Will include numerous agents and modules– reliably communicate and exchange

information. • Enforce

– a reliable fault tolerant system– trustable communication – messaging server – process manager to ensure system

safety– System Builder tool to integrate the

sub-systems

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

Introducing DISTRIBUTED INTELLIGENT OPERATING SCHEMA: DIOSTM

• The machine has to be capable to integrate into a working system several different and frequently new sensors or actuators – as the existing ones may be replaced by a new

product or an updated version of the same product. – Assembling a system to be able to deal with complex

situations requires integration of very different subsystems.

• An Operating Schema to serve as a tool to make that task doable under the stressed situation of a crisis is not a luxury, but a necessity.

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

DIOSTM VISION STATEMENT

To be the widely accepted tool for development of distributed systems, using application agents for information exchange in robotic control systems

and intelligent devices.

To enable the creation of a new generation of better connected, more intelligent, cost effective, reliable and of on the spot assembled robotic vehicles.

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

How DIOSTM works• Hide the details of the specification from the particular application.• Does not tie an application to a specific type of hardware.• Allow Agents to be created in multiple programming languages

C for microcontrollers used in Hardware Interface Modules (HIM),

C++, Python, and Java (more in the future)• Automatically generates code to standardize communication and prevent dependency issues between Agents

SPEED UP DEVELOPMENT

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

DISTRIBUTED INTELLIGENT

OPERATING SCHEMA

• Specifies what information can be broadcast/ listened to.

• Does not distinguish between “real world” components (sensors, actuators) and “virtual components” in software (behaviors, decisions).

• Real-time requirement for guaranteed message delivery

SPECIFICATION

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

• Software medium through which all Agents communicate with each other.

• Invisible to the application developer and end user.

• Fully distributed – ability to create applications with no single point of failure.

• Commercial robotics framework developed for the QNX Real-Time OS.

FRAMEWORKDISTRIBUTED INTELLIGENT

OPERATING SCHEMA

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

• Units of FUNCTIONALITY• Perform on behalf of a supervisory unit (agent or

human operator)• Are

– Autonomous– Situated (in the environment)– Reactive– Pro-active (make decisions to achieve goals)

AGENTSDISTRIBUTED INTELLIGENT

OPERATING SCHEMA

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

The System Builder

• The purpose is to simplify and automate the task of – defining, – creating, – maintaining, and – arranging Agents for use in a DIOS-enabled system.

• Acts as a repository for all DIOS-enabled software and the management thereof.

• Projects are comprised of many Agents using shared Models.

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

DIOS™ System BuilderAllows the developer to use whatever

specification it choose.

Works on:

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

Agent definition screen of the SystemBuilder running under OSX 10.4 Tiger.

• The System Builder requires that the user specify the information that an Agent requires in order to function and complete its task.

• By defining an Agent with the above properties, the System Builder then auto-generates all of the code required for communication along with the programming stub for the Agent.

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

DIOS™ System Builder

Allow Agents to be created in multiple programming languages

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

• The hierarchal organization of software objects composed of data-type fields are defined in the "Information Model".This is necessary to let System Builder connect parts according to their hierarchy.

The Information Model definition screen of the SystemBuilder running under Windows 6.0 Vista.

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

Using the SystemBuilderSteps:1. define agents2. define information models3. associate information

models with Agents4. Generate code (in C++)

for the keyboard driver5. Use the keyboard driver to

control a simulated robot6. Show the auto generated

Java keyboard driver code

7. Show the simulated robot controlled by the java driver

January 8, 2008Spark Robotics RISE08

Contact InformationSpark Robotics Technology Inc.

1160 Seymour Street

Vancouver, BC

Canada V6B 3N3 

USA +1-619-955-6675

Canada +1-604-495-1861

Israel +972-4-824-8701

Fax +1-604-648-9544

Email info@sparkrobotics.com

www.sparkrobotics.com