Project description
Autonomous robots acting with common sense after failures
Autonomous robots lack common sense and may enter a catastrophic condition known as loss of control after failures. A new paradigm, Artificial Physical Awareness (APA), necessitates real-time and precise knowledge of the time-varying stochastic safe envelope. This safe envelope is stochastic, contains uncertainties, and contracts after failures, posing a significant scientific challenge to acquire and employ in real-time. In this context, the ERC-funded ARCS project will develop a new generation of autonomous robots aware of their physical capabilities and limitations, enabling them to act sensibly after failures. It amalgamates fresh insights from interdisciplinary research to craft the APA-autopilot system. The research will establish transparent safety and performance boundaries, even following failures.
Objective
Autonomous robots such as autonomous vehicles cars and drones have the potential to revolutionize the way we work and live. Unfortunately, current autonomous robots do not have common sense and may enter a catastrophic condition called loss-of-control after failures. The ultimate goal of this research is to enable a new generation of autonomous robots that are aware of their physical capabilities and limitations, allowing them to act with common sense after failures.
To achieve this I propose a new paradigm in autonomous robot control: Artificial Physical Awareness (APA). APA requires accurate real-time knowledge of the time-varying stochastic safe envelope which is a subset of the state-space inside which safe operations of the autonomous robot can be guaranteed. The safe envelope is stochastic and time-varying; it contains uncertainties and will shrink after failures, reflecting the reduced post-failure performance of the autonomous robot.
Obtaining and utilizing the time-varying stochastic safe envelope in real-time represents a currently unsolved scientific challenge for the following reasons: 1) the safe envelope cannot be measured directly; 2) current safe envelope computation methods are real-time intractable and/or do not take into account uncertainties; and 3) no control methodology exists that allows for time-varying safe-envelope informed balancing of safety and performance.
This multidisciplinary research combines new insights in time-varying stochastic state reachability analysis, tipping-point forecasting, bio-inspired envelope sensing and recovery, and nonlinear fault-tolerant control to develop the new APA-autopilot system, which is the main output of this research. This research project has the potential to lead to a revolution in autonomous robot design, and operations by providing transparent safety and performance bounds, even after failures.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- social sciences political sciences political transitions revolutions
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering robotics autonomous robots drones
You need to log in or register to use this function
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-COG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
2628 CN Delft
Netherlands
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.