Situation understanding bot through language and environment

This video shows a demonstration of a fully autonomous robot, an iRobot ATRV-JR, which can be given commands using natural language. Users type commands to the robot on a tablet computer, which are then parsed and processed using semantic analysis. This information is used to build a plan representing the high level autonomous behaviors the robot should perform [2] [1]. The robot can be given commands to be executed immediately (e.g., “Search the floor for hostages.”) as well as standing orders for use over the entire run (e.g., “Let me know if you see any bombs.”). In the scenario shown in the video, the robot is asked to identify and defuse bombs, as well as to report if it finds any hostages or bad guys. Users can also query the robot through this interface. The robot conveys information to the user through text and a graphical interface on a tablet computer. The system can add icons to the map displayed and highlight areas of the map to convey concepts such as “I am here.” The video contains segments taken from a continuous 20 minute long run, shown at 4× speed. This work is a demonstration of a larger project called Situation Understanding Bot Through Language and Environment (SUBTLE). For more information, see www.subtlebot.org.