Action sequence reproduction based on automatic segmentation and Object-Action Complexes

Abstract

Teaching robots object manipulation skills is a complex task that involves multimodal perception and knowledge about processing the sensor data. In this paper, we show a concept for humanoid robots in household environments with a variety of related objects and actions. Following the paradigms of Programming by Demonstration (PbD), we provide a flexible approach that enables a robot to adaptively reproduce an action sequence demonstrated by a human. The obtained human motion data with involved objects is segmented into semantic conclusive sub-actions by the detection of relations between the objects and the human actor. Matching actions are chosen from a library of Object-Action Complexes (OACs) using the preconditions and effects of each sub-action. The resulting sequence of OACs is parameterized for the execution on a humanoid robot depending on the observed action sequence and on the state of the environment during execution. The feasibility of this approach is shown in an exemplary kitchen scenario, where the robot has to prepare a dough.