This paper presents the overall architecture of the VIKINGS robot, one of the five contenders in the ARGOS challenge and winner of two competitions. The VIKINGS robot is an autonomous or remote-operated robot for the inspection of oil and gas sites and is able to assess various petrochemical risks based on embedded sensors and processing. As described in this article, our robot is able to autonomously monitor all the elements of a petrochemical process on a multi-storey oil platform (reading gauges, state of the valves, proper functioning of the pumps) while facing many hazards (leaks, obstacles or holes in its path). The aim of this article is to present the major components of our robot's architecture and the algorithms we developed for certain functions (localization, gauge reading, etc). We also present the methodology that we adopted and that allowed us to succeed in this challenge.
In this study, we wonder how to compare the improvement in visual perceptual skills (by using the test of visual perceptual skills, TVPS) in children with dyslexia after two visual training types (a new immersive rehabilitation therapy called MoveR, and the classical vision therapy). Thirty-nine children with dyslexia were enrolled in the study. They were split into two groups (G1 and G2) matched in IQ (intelligence quotient), sex, and age. Children of the group G1 underwent to MoveR training while children of the group G2 underwent to visual training. TVPS scores of four subtests were assessed twice before and 6 months after the two different types of training (MoveR or visual). MoveR training is an immersive therapy to reinforce visual discrimination, visual attention, saccadic/vergence system and spatial orientation. Visual therapy is based by training different types of eyes movements (horizontal, vertical and oblique pursuits and saccades, convergence and divergence movements), reading task and some exercise for improving eyes–head coordination. Each training type lasted 30 min a day, five days a week, for two weeks. Before training, the TVPS scores of the four subtests measured were statistically similar for both groups of children with dyslexia (G1 and G2). After training, both group of children (G1 and G2) improved the TVPS score of the four subtests assessed; however, such improvement reached significance in G1 only. We conclude that MoveR training could be a more useful tool than classical visual training to improve visual perceptual abilities in dyslexic children. Follow up studies on a larger number of dyslexic children will be necessary in order to explore whether such improvement persists over time and its eventual implication in reading or other classroom’s activities.
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