Reliable functionalities for autonomous navigation and object recognition/handling are key technologies to service robots for executing useful services in human environments. A considerable amount of research has been conducted to make the service robot perform these operations with its own sensors, actuators and a knowledge database. With all heavy sensors, actuators and a database, the robot could have performed the given tasks in a limited environment or showed the limited capabilities in a natural environment. With the new paradigms on robot technologies, we attempted to apply smart environments technologies-such as RFID, sensor network and wireless network- to robot functionalities for executing reliable services. In this paper, we introduce concepts of proposed smart environments based robot navigation and object recognition/handling method and present results on robot services. Even though our methods are different from existing robot technologies, successful implementation result on real applications shows the effectiveness of our approaches. Keywords:Smart Environments, Service Robot, Navigation

This paper proposes an emotional interaction model between human and robot using an android. An android is a sort of humanoid robot that the outward shape of robot is almost the same as that of human. The android is a robot platform to implement and test emotional expressions and human interaction. In order to behave for the android like human, a structure of internal emotion system is very important. In our research, we propose a novel emotional model of android based on biological hormone and emotion space. Proposed emotion model has an advantage that it can represent emotion change as time by hormone dynamics.

The docking and recharging system for a mobile robot must guarantee the ability of the mobile robot to perform its tasks continuously without human intervention. In this paper, two docking mechanisms are proposed with localization error-compensation capability for the auto recharging system. Friction forces or magnetic forces are used between the docking parts of the docking module and those of the docking station. In addition, an auto recharging system is developed to control the power. Since the system is modularized, it can easily be adapted to other robots.

MOCIE(Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy) handles 6 Projects for Intelligent Robot, whose budget is around 40 Million dollars per year. In this paper we have tried to analyze the state of robot technology of the projects. Each sub-projects has been divided according to the technological classification. Two major projects of Next Generation Growth Engine and 21C Frontier show different state each other. The former is focused on the product while the latter on the technology. Output of 21C Frontier should be linked to the Next Generation Growth Engine, otherwise, it will fail to advance. The project management handles only the quantitative performance such as business results, number of prototype, and number of patents and papers. Technological Capability is essential and it should be managed. This paper proposes efficient classification of robot technology and technology index.

AbstractIntelligent Robot is considered as one of the Next Generation Growth Engine in many countries. The application fields are expected to be widen from 80's robotics for manufacturing to many applications such as military, space, medical, personal, etc. To reduce the R&D investment risk Technical Roadmap is prepared by Japan, Europe and Korea. In this paper, the technical Roadmap of the countries was analysed to get the idea of future of Robotics. Robotics is considered as one of solutions of future aged society. Robot can assist and company with elderly people in the near future. On the other hand, Robot is considered as a core technology of manufacturing competitive power. Industrial competitiveness also would be dependent on robot technology. Special Service robot has many application areas and each country has different target based on the situation. With the comparison of technical roadmap, we have suggested some ideas to improve Korea's roadmap.