Intelligent Wearable Interfaces

CHAPTER 2

Network Architecture for Wearable Robots¹

2.1 INTRODUCTION

We have developed a novel robot concept called the wearable robot, and we will present the development of the supporting network architecture. Wearable robots are mobile information devices capable of supporting remote communication and intelligent interaction between networked entities. In this chapter, we explore the possible functions of such a robotic network and will present a distributed network architecture based on service components. To support the interaction and communication between the components in the wearable robot system, we have developed an intelligent network architecture. This service-based architecture involves three major mechanisms. The first mechanism involves the use of a task coordinator service such that the execution of the services can be managed using a priority queue. The second mechanism enables the system to automatically push the required service proxy to the client intelligently based on certain system-related conditions. In the third mechanism, we allow the system to automatically deliver services based on contextual information. Using a fuzzy-logic-based decision-making system, the matching service can determine whether the service should be automatically delivered using the information provided by the service, client, lookup service, and context sensors. An application scenario has been implemented to demonstrate the feasibility of this distributed service-based robot architecture. ...