Target of this project is developing a deliberative component supporting precise coordinated acting of multirobotic systems under real-time constraints. The integration of a total system and validation of results for simulated as well for real robots take place within the framework of ROBOCUP. As the general basis for the deliberative component which we will develop, the logic based controller language GOLOG, developed at the University of Toronto, will be used. This language has been advanced within our workgroup over the recent years and has been utilized successfully for controlling mobile robots.

Homepage: http://robocup.rwth-aachen.de/

The aim of this project is the tight integration of the latest developments in the areas of planning languages and action logics in order to arrive at systems that are both very epressive and efficient. For comparing action languages like Golog and Flux with planning formalisms like PDDL -- which is being viewed as the standard in the area of planning -- a common semantics based on the situation calculus shall be developed. The expressivity of the different approaches shall be assessed via compilation techniques. A special focus will be on extensions of Golog, such as temporal and concurrent Golog. The resulting planning problems shall be approached with heuristic search, as implemented in the FF system, and the aid of compilation techniques. In return, language constructs from the Golog-family shall be integrated into PDDL and existing planners. The developed methods shall be evaluated in the context of autonomous robots.

Homepage: http://www.computational-logic.org/content/projects/wisslogc.php?id=53

Biological algorithms of sound localization may be useful in studying acoustic orientation of robots. One of us (Lakemeyer) collaborated in the software design of a mobile robot that can give guided tours through exhibitions, among other things. We now want to equip this robot with a sound localization and a speech recognition system. The Jeffress model of binaural interaction contains delay lines and coincidence detection. It is realized in the barn owl. We have implemented a Jeffress-like model on a computer and have tested it with noise and speech signals (Calmes et al., in preparation). This model works pretty well even in cluttered surroundings. Currently we are implementing the software on the robot.

Homepage: HeRBiE @ Bio II

Strategic Networks (e.g. in enterprises or research-groups) are the most ambitious models for cooperative perception and problemsolving at the moment. With these one tries to combine the advantages of the flexibility of market mechansims with the stability of hierarchical organizations. The Aachen TROPOS-projects' aim is the development of an agent oriented environment for the lifecycle-accompaniing requirements engineering in strategic networks. This analyzing environment should step by step be enlarged to a simulation- and supporting-tool. Every step concerning development and implementation will be evaluated by empirical analysis.

Homepage: http://dbis.rwth-aachen.de/lehrstuhl/projects/tropos/