The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (President, Hiroyuki Yoshikawa), Ymatic Ltd. (CEO, Shigeru Yamada), and Biometrica Systems Asia Co. Ltd. [CEO, Ayao Wada] have jointly developed a system, which is build by combining robotic techniques with IC tags, a face authentication system, and a network node using a middleware technique (RT middleware), in a human living environment.

In the living environment we have build, multiple systems, such as a face-authentication security system (developed by Biometrica Co. Ltd.), a front door locking system, an automatic door switching system, and a light-control system, are mutually connected through a wireless network node (jointly developed by AIST and Ymatic Ltd..), and controlled using RT middleware. We have also controlled a mobile robot using the RT middleware by burying passive IC tags under the floor, and made the mobile robot put back books with a passive IC tag into a bookshelf.

Usually, the build systems combining distributed multiple devices needs man power and cost for network wiring and programming. However, the living environment we have developed enables efficient system of building, which needs no wiring labor using passive IC tags and a network node and can save programming labor using RT middleware.

Until now, many attempts at making space functional have been made by setting robotic element devices in various parts of the living environment. However, the mutual wiring between the element devices makes the system construction complex, and thus it has been very difficult to make them practically usable.

The necessity for environmental robotic technologies was recognized in “Strategic Technology Roadmap” made in 2005 by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. Moreover, the Japan Robot Association has started a committee to explore the feasibility of robotic technologies for functional structuring of living environment.

Using wireless and network techniques, the Intelligent Systems Research Institute of AIST has advanced techniques for controlling environment built-in type robotic systems, which consist of multiple element devices distributed in a human living space.

Particularly, in the fiscal year of 2003, we mounted information necessary for robots into environments and material bodies using IC tags, and developed a system for controlling the robots thereby. Also, to advance the module structure and reusability of programs for controlling the robots, we have developed a middleware technique for connecting robotic element devices, and worked to internationally standardize it. The middleware technique has also been carried out in a project of the New Energy and Industrial Development Organization, and is supplied as OpenRTM at present.

Furthermore, we have proposed “Ubiquitous Robotics,” a new robotic form which consists of robotic element devices distributed freely in a living space, and carried out the research and development of network nodes to be used as a tool for mutual wireless linking of the robotic element devices.

In this work, in a model space imitating a human living (domestic) environment, we have distributed multiple device systems, such as 400 passive IC tags buried under the floor, a face-authentication security system, a front door locking system, an automatic door switching system, a light-control system, an IC tag-reader system built in a bookshelf, and a mobile robot system,. These devices are mutually connected through a wireless network node we developed previously, and can be controlled from a home server. The control system has been made using RT middleware.

For example, the living environment has a double-security door-locking system using both active IC tags and a face-authentication security system, a mobile robot system moving and specifying its position using many passive IC tags buried under the floor, and a bookshelf system capable of detecting which books are present therein using passive IC tags fixed to the books.

Until now, many examples have been reported, which enable build an intelligent space in human living environments using ubiquitous devices and sensor networks, while there have been no examples which enable build a ubiquitous space from the robotic viewpoint. Moreover, up to now, distributed devices have been connected with wires, and the programs for controlling them were created, resulting in a large expense of labor and money.

In this work, we have enabled the rapid build a living environment using wireless connection of the element devices with passive IC tags and a network node, and by dramatically advancing the software development efficiency using RT middleware.

In the network connection of robotic devices such as security and information devices, our technique enables cost reduction, and thus can facilitate the introduction of robotic devices into general homes. Furthermore, the book-tidying system we have developed can be used not only in homes but also in libraries.

The gasification process is carried out at high temperature (800-900 ºC) and high pressure (several MPa), removing the need for use of compressors or compression power. Gas cleaning is carried out through a dry refining process that uses active carbon, instead of the traditional wet method that utilizes water, increasing the gasification heat efficiency. As a result, it was possible to produce equipment with compact dimensions.

The main features of the equipment are the efficient use of heat which increases the energy efficiency, and the removal of the compression process which reduces the power requirements.