Robot Service Network Protocol
Developed by Robot Service initiative
5th Japan – Korea Service Robot Workshop

November 26, 2009

Takashi Uchiyama,
President of Robot Service initiative andAdvisor of Fujitsu Laboratories Limited

Outline
Introduction
What is RSi?
Concept of RSNP

Service Examples of RSNP
a.
b.
c.
d.



RSNP (Robot Service Network Protocol)Disaster Information
Monitoring ServiceSales Promotion ServiceRobot Map
RSNP Architecture
Structure of RSNP

Feature of RSNP
a. PUSH, b. Task Profile, c. Command Profile



RSNP LibraryRoadmapConclusion
2Need for Standardization Protocol for receiving information via network Robots need “content.”• Weather information, traffic information, news, etc.
 Standardization enables effective collaboration

with various service venders.

Robot Service initiative (RSi)Various robots can use the samecontents.
 Data from various robots can beuploaded onto the Internet tostandardize services.
 Specifications can be created as a
Robot Service Network Protocol(RSNP).
3Sevice Provider System Developer

Common Standard
Robot Maker

User

What is RSi?
 Objectives
 To investigate the services that can be supported bynetwork-connected robots
 To promote the use of these robot services so they
contribute to the robot industry
 Established on May 17, 2004

by Fujitsu, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), and Sony Eleven members as of November 2009

MHI, Fujitsu, Fujitsu Laboratories, Toshiba,
Business Design Laboratory, Japan Weather Association,SEC, Lightware, NEC Communication Systems,
Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology,
Future University-Hakodate
4Concept of RSNP
Open protocol for communication amongrobots and network services
Interaction with providers
Inquiry
ServiceproviderInteraction with humans

Serviceportal

Control robots
Inquiry

Action,provide information

Human

RobotAction

RobotAction, noticeInquiry

Environment

OthersInteraction with environment5Service Examples of RSNP
a. Disaster Information Service
b. Monitoring Servicec. Sales Promotion Service
d. Robot Map

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a. Disaster Information Service Disaster information from Japan Weather Association isanalyzed and then distributed as disaster informationcomments
 The following six types of information are provided: rainfall, lightning,earthquake, tsunami, volcano information, other warnings
 Once a new piece of disaster information arrives at the server, it isdistributed to the robot
 Selects necessary information according to the region where the robot
has been deployed to notify the people aroundDo not go out
because heavy
rain will continue.

Be careful, atsunami isexpected.

The rain willease soon.

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b. Monitoring Service
Images from the robot camera are continually acquired Operation of the robot camera Multiple units are simultaneously monitoring Monitoring service can be used for House-sit monitoring,Home medical care and Inpatient monitoring service

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c. Sales Promotion Service
 Food manufacturers and others can use a robot

located at a shopping center by the hourCandy manufacturers, etc.

Internet“I will have it introduce
the new product XX at
the shopping center foran hour from noon
today.” He enters theproduct name, an image
and a marketing slogan
to register the service.

RSi server

12:00-13:00

Service and schedule registration

Have you tried
new productXX?

ShopperIntroduce theproduct

Robot (Store B)
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Robot (Store A)

d. Robot Map- Service trial infrastructure  Robot Map

Shows that robots invarious places areconnected Can be used by general
consumers as wellPossible topic ofconversation
 Economic value
Improve the robot’s abilityto attract customers
10Approach on RSNP
 Create specifications for information services suchas weather and disaster information
 RSNP1.0 (2006)
 Create specifications for bidirectional (PUSH)
communication, services associated with movements,
sensor information upload, authentication, etc.
 RSNP2.0 (2008)
 Create specifications for common behaviors andmovements of robots as well as combinations of
those behaviors and movements
 RSNP2.1 (2009)11

RSNP Architecture Specifies necessary functions to provide robot services

 RSNP = RSi Common Service + Profiles
 Common Service

Pull, Push, Asynchronous/Synchronous Communication
RSNP
Disaster Information Service
Application
ServiceBasicServiceProfile

Monitoring
ServiceInformation Providing Service
Weather Service
BasicInformation
ProfileAction
ProfileRecipe ServiceAction
PatternProfile

Multimedia/Sensor
ProfileVoice ServiceConversation
ProfileTask
ProfileCommandProfile

RSi Common Service

Platform
ProfileProtocol Layer (SOAP, HTTP, CORBA, etc.)

Transport/Hardware Layer (USB, Wireless LAN, Infrared rays, etc.)
12RemoteControlServiceProfiles
 Application service profiles

Information services, such as disaster and weather
information services, and remote control andmonitoring services
 Basic service profiles

Multimedia and sensor support, behavioral patterns
and movements
 Service and robot features are provided as modules,
and RSi is applicable to various different services
and a number of robots having various functions
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Structure of RSNP
Configuration chart

Service provision image by RSNP

Server (Service)

Service Provider

Content Provider

UserProgram
Information distribution(Weather and disaster info., etc.)

API

Remotemaintenance

API

Server-side RSNP library

RSNP Library

RSNP communication

RSNP LibraryAPI

Robot-side RSNP library

API

UserProgram

Robot

Robot

Robot

Robot

Connecting the robot and the server via RSNP communication
The user program of the robot providing services connects the robot to the server via
RSNP communication just by calling a library API, and the user program of thecorresponding server performs processing (and vice versa)
14Feature of RSNP
a. PUSH
Mechanism that necessary information is
distributed to robots when necessary
b. Task Profile
Framework to change various robot services
c. Command Profile
Framework to handle combinations of simple
behaviors and movements common to robots
for remote operationd. RSi and RT Middleware15

a. PUSH
Disaster information distribution service
Don’t go out
because heavy
rain will continue.

Be careful, atsunami isexpected!

It will stoprainingsoon!

Necessary information is distributed to robots when necessary PUSH-type transmission to robots is necessary◆ Conditions for resolving the issues of PUSH-typetransmission to robots• Information must be able to go through firewalls• It is not necessary to have robots fitted with a server• IT standard specifications should be used as much as
possible16

b. Task Profile
Robot service Ensure robots can recognize the situationand have them perform various compound behaviors andmovements based on that recognition
Examples of services: Giving guidance at facilities and exhibitions,introducing products, and going on patrol.

Facility guidance service

Task profile
Framework to handle various
robot services

Person arrives
Guidancecomplete
Be on standby• Describe services(Describe service scenarios)• Customize contents(Words and movements)• Instruct when to execute(schedule), etc.

Guide andinstruct
Provide info.

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Induce and guidec. Command Profile
A remote operator instructs behaviors andmovements while the robot carries out services
 Simple combined behaviors and movements such as

gestures and utterances Common format to various robots
A time-limited
sales bargain
has just begun!

Personarrives or leaves

Guidancecomplete- Insert movements and utterances
different from usual only at that time
- Check operations and recover thesituation when a problem occurs

Be on standby

Guide andinstruct

Induce andguide

Provide info.

Command profile

Robot service18

d. RSi and RT Middleware RSi cooperates with RT middleware andpromoted to make RSi de-facto
Robot content/service provided by RSNP

Cooperation
partServiceProvider

RSNPex. Weather, Disaster, Monitoring service, etc

RSNP
RobotMaker
Middlewareof robot

Gateway
component

RTM
RTvision
moduleRobots for RSNP

RTcontrol
moduleRTcommunication
moduleRobots/Robotic Space connected with network
by RT Middleware
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RSNP Library The library is provided as an SDK supporting

RSNP
 Integrated development environment: Eclipse
 Required middleware: JavaSE, Tomcat, Axis2
 SDK for robots and SDK for services

 Provided for RSi members free of charge Future plans
 SDK for robots

It is possible to operate with a low-end CPU20

Expression using Robot MapVarious robots

Locational
Information
Advertisements

Real-time
operation status
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Expansibility of the Robot Map
 The robot map can beused for the following
image displays: Images from the robot’s

camera Photographs of theinstallation location
 Display of detailed
information on the robot
 Advertisements

Image Link to other services
 Monitoring function
 Distribution of messages andadvertisements Remote operation
 Maintenance

Link22

Operation of the Robot Map23

Roadmap
2004

Previous2009

Present2011 -Help launch robot
services

Construct technicalinfrastructures

Experimentally provide
weather, disaster, andmonitoring Service

Proof experiment

RSNP2.1

Draw up
specifications

Service trial
infrastructure(Robot Map)

Providethe library

24Future
Make robot services
commercially available

Service contest

Servicebusiness ofeach member
company
Improve the valueof robots of eachcompany

Conclusion
 We were able to establish RSNP as a technicalinfrastructure to provide robot services
From now on, we will: Maintain a development environment and otherenvironments to make it easier to use Have many researchers and students use the library
to create and expand new robot services
 Utilize the robot map to widely appeal to the generalpublic Appeal to content providers for participation byincreasing the number of those who use the robot
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