[mod.ai] Conference - AAAI Workshop on PLANNING FOR AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOTS

MILLER@VTCS1.BITNET.UUCP (03/05/87)

               Call for Participation and abstracts:
 
         Workshop on PLANNING FOR AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOTS
 
            July 16, 1987, The University of Washington,
                            Seattle, WA
 
                          Sponsored by AAAI
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 
Most  mobile  robot  projects  have concentrated on robots with specific
missions (e.g., complete errands one and two, follow this road for three
miles).   Yet  a truly autonomous robot would have its mission described
at a much higher level.  Its programming would have to  derive  specific
tasks  to  be  accomplished based on unpredictable (and perhaps not even
previously classifiable) conditions in its environment.  This opens  new
issues  for  the type of planning system necessary to guiding autonomous
robots.
 
The purpose of this workshop  would  be  to  discuss  the  planning  and
knowledge requirements of an autonomous exploratory robot such as a Mars
Rover.  How would such a robot decide on a course?  What  kind  of  risk
assessment is necessary before deciding to make a dangerous observation?
What types of knowledge are necessary for recognizing something as being
interesting,  or  dangerous?   What role will physical knowledge play in
safe  navigation?   Is  either  incremental  or  opportunistic  planning
necessary  for dealing with a dynamic world?  What kind of demands would
the planning system place on the sensory system?
 
Among the topics of interest are:
        *Spatial Representation                 *Map Building
        *Planning Under Uncertainty             *Risk Analysis
 
        *Planning in Dynamic Domains            *Physical Reasoning
        *Spatial and Temporal Reasoning         *Sensor Coordination
        *Experience-Based Planning              *Route Planning
 
Those  interested in participating in the workshop should submit a short
abstract (no more than two  pages)  of  your  work  you  would  wish  to
present.  Mail two copies of your abstract (hard copy only) before April
15, 1987,  to  either  of  the  workshop  organizers.   Invitations  for
workshop participation will be sent out by May 15, 1987.
 
     David Miller                               David Atkinson
     562 McBryde                                Mail Stop 510-202
     Department of Computer Science             Jet Propulsion Laboratory
     Virginia Tech                              Cal Tech
     Blacksburg, VA 24061                       4800 Oak Grove Drive
                                                Pasadena, CA, 91109
 
     (703) 961-5605                             (818) 577-6603
     miller%vtcs1@bitnet-relay.arpa             atkinson@usc-ecl.arpa
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