Executive functions represent a set of processes in goal-directed cognition that depend on integrated cortical-basal ganglia brain systems and form the basis flexible human behaviour. Several computational models have been proposed for studying cognitive flexibility as key executive function Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST) represents an important neuropsychological tool to investigate it. Th...

Wheeled mobile manipulators utilize both the locomotion capabilities of the wheeled platform and manipulation capacity of the arm. While the modelling and control of such systems have previously been studied, most of them have considered robots with rigid suspension and their wheels are subject to pure rolling conditions. To relax the aforementioned limiting assumptions, this research addresses...

We describe an integrated strategy for planning, perception, state-estimation and action in complex mobile manipulation domains based on planning in the belief space of probability distributions over states using hierarchical goal regression (pre-image back-chaining). We develop a vocabulary of logical expressions that describe sets of belief states, which are goals and subgoals in the planning...

This paper investigates issues in the plan design of cognition-enabled robotic agents performing everyday manipulation tasks. We believe that plan languages employed by most cognitive architectures are syntactically too restricted to specify the flexibility, generality, and robustness needed to perform physical manipulation tasks. As a consequence, the robotic agents often have to employ flexib...

Traditional techniques of endoscopy based on flexible endoscopes are fairly reliable but poorly tolerated by patients and do not give access to the small bowel. It has been demonstrated that magnetic fields are usable for manipulating an untethered magnet, either using fixed coils or mobile permanent magnets. We introduce a novel approach for magnetic manipulation and present the preliminary re...

To manipulate an object skillfully, the brain must learn its dynamics, specifying the mapping between applied force and motion. A fundamental issue in sensorimotor control is whether such dynamics are represented in an extrinsic frame of reference tied to the object or an intrinsic frame of reference linked to the arm. Although previous studies have suggested that objects are represented in arm...

Localizing and manipulating features such as buttons, snaps, or grommets in fabrics and other flexible materials is a difficult robotics problem. Approaches that rely too much on sensing and localization that occurs before touching the material are likely to fail because the flexible material can move when the robot actually makes contact. This paper experimentally explores the possibility of u...