Gesture recognition is very important for Human-Robot Interfaces. In this paper, we present a novel depth based method for gesture recognition to improve the interaction of a service robot autonomous shopping cart, mostly used by reduced mobility people. In the proposed solution, the identification of the user is already implemented by the software present on the robot where a bounding box focusing on the user is extracted. Based on the analysis of the depth histogram, the distance from the user to the robot is calculated and the user is segmented using from the background. Then, a region growing algorithm is applied to delete all other objects in the image. We apply again a threshold technique to the original image, to obtain all the objects in front of the user. Intercepting the threshold based segmentation result with the region growing resulting image, we obtain candidate objects to be arms of the user. By applying a labelling algorithm to obtain each object individually, a Principal Component Analysis is computed to each one to obtain its center and orientation. Using that information, we intercept the silhouette of the arm with a line obtaining the upper point of the interception which indicates the hand position. A Kalman filter is then applied to track the hand and based on state machines to describe gestures (Start, Stop, Pause) we perform gesture recognition. We tested the proposed approach in a real case scenario with different users and we obtained an accuracy around 89,7%. 1 Introduction Nowadays, with robots entering in our daily lives, it is becoming important to provide the users a simple and intuitive way to interact with them. Human-Robot interactions has already proved to be a major field in robotics with an
Robotics is a growing industry with applications in numerous markets, including retail, transportation, manufacturing, and even as personal assistants. Consumers have evolved to expect more from the buying experience, and retailers are looking at technology to keep consumers engaged. In today's highly competitive business climate, being able to attract, serve, and satisfy more customers is a key to success. It is our belief that smart robots will play a significant role in physical retail in the future. One successful example is wGO, 1 a robotic shopping assistant developed by Follow Inspiration. The wGO is an autonomous and self-driven shopping cart, designed to follow people with reduced mobility (the elderly, people in wheelchair, pregnant women, those with temporary reduced mobility, etc.) in commercial environments. With the Retail Robot, the user can control the shopping cart without the need to push it. This brings numerous advantages and a higher level of comfort since the user does not need to worry about carrying the groceries or pushing the shopping cart. The wGO operates under a vision-guided approach based on user-following with no need for any external device. Its integrated architecture of control, navigation, perception, planning, and awareness is designed to enable the robot to successfully perform personal assistance, while the user is shopping. Keywords: robotics, vision, retail, reduced mobility1 The robot is currently patent pending.
Resumo:A sociedade atual depara-se com assuntos mediáticos e controversos, de raiz científica, de que é exemplo a problemática sobre os organismos geneticamente modificados (OGM). Estes organismos são, para uns, uma mais-valia e, para outros, algo perigoso, o que tem motivado um debate a nível científico, político e económico, do qual os cidadãos não se devem abster. Para tal, estes indivíduos devem ser pessoas informadas, responsáveis e ativas, aspetos para os quais contribui a formação em ciências. A investigação realizada centrou-se na problemática dos OGMs e envolveu a aplicação de um questionário a 175 alunos de escolas portuguesas sobre as suas concepções e opiniões em relação aos OGM. Este estudo demonstrou que a maioria dos alunos tem ideias vagas, nem sempre cientificamente corretas, sobre o tema, e que não rejeita os OGMs, apesar de não ter muitas certezas em relação à utilização dos mesmos.Palavras-chave: Organismos geneticamente modificados. OGM. Educação em ciências.Abstract: Contemporary society has been faced with some scientific issues. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) is an example of such issues. For some people, these organisms have an added value. For others, they are taken as a threat. The existence of these two opposite reactions has led to a debate in which citizens should engage, as they are an interested party to it. However, to do so, citizens should be scientifically informed, responsible and active people. Science education can contribute to them developing such competences. The research carried out was focused on student's ideas regarding GMO. 175 students attending Portuguese schools answered to a questionnaire about their conceptions and opinions regarding to GMO. The results of the former study suggest that students hold some scientifically incorrect ideas on GMO, and that they do not completely reject GMO even though they show some doubts about the use of GMO.
A problemática dos organismos geneticamente modificados e a formação científica do cidadão comum: um estudo com manuais escolares de Ciências Naturais do 9º ano adotados em PortugalThe genetically modified organisms issue and citizen science education: a study of natural sciences textbooks for 9 th grade adopted in PortugalLuís Dourado 1 Luís Matos 2Resumo: Uma das aplicações da biotecnologia são os organismos geneticamente modificados (OGM), os quais têm uma utilização cada vez maior, apresentando vantagens, mas, também, sendo referidos como organismos potencialmente perigosos. Correspondendo a esses factos, os manuais de ciências dedicam algumas das suas páginas à biotecnologia, sendo os OGMs um dos aspetos focados. Nesse sentido e considerando a importância que o manual escolar tem na educação em ciências, procedemos a um estudo que envolveu a análise dos manuais escolares de ciências naturais do 9º ano adotados em Portugal, na parte respeitante aos OGMs. Neste estudo verificou-se que os manuais nem sempre apresentam a informação correta e necessária, de forma adequada, e que nem sempre lhe dão o devido destaque. Dado que a nossa investigação revela a existência de falhas ao nível dos manuais, as conclusões obtidas podem contribuir para uma melhoria dos mesmos e, consequentemente, da qualidade da educação em ciências.Palavras-chave: Organismos Geneticamente Modificados. OGM. Manual escolar. Educação em ciências. Abstract:One of the applications of biotechnology is genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which have an increasing use, with many advantages, but are also being referred to as potentially dangerous organisms. Regarding these facts, science textbooks devote some of their pages to biotechnology, GMOs being one of the aspects focused on. Thus, considering the importance of the textbook in science education, we carried out a study involving the analysis of Portuguese 9th grade science textbooks concerning GMOs. In this study it was found that the textbooks do not always have accurate and necessary information, and sometimes do not present it in an adequate way and don't give it proper importance. As our research reveals the existence of gaps in textbooks, our conclusions can help to improve them and, therefore, the quality of science education.Keywords: Genetically Modified Organisms. GMO. Textbooks. Science education. Introdução O papel do manual escolar na educação em ciênciasNuma época em que, na educação em ciências, se verifica uma multiplicidade de suportes de ensino, nomeadamente os suportes informáticos e audiovisuais, o manual escolar continua a ocupar um lugar central KOPPAL, 2010;SANTOS, 2001;SNYDER;BROADWAY, 2004), desempenhando vários papéis, uma vez que apresenta um conjunto de conhecimentos, auxilia na organização de aprendizagem e orienta o aluno na compreensão do mundo que o rodeia, contribuindo para o desenvolvimento de competências do aluno e não apenas para a transmissão de conhecimentos. (SANTOS, 2006). O manual escolar tem, assim, uma função fortemente reguladora das práticas es...
Editorial para a edição Paulo Freire
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