A Mobile Robotic Personal Nightstand with Integrated Perceptual Processes

We present an intelligent interactive nightstand mounted on a mobile robot, to aid the elderly in their homes using physical, tactile and visual percepts. We show the integration of three different sensing modalities for controlling the navigation of a robot mounted nightstand within the constrained environment of a general purpose living room housing a single aging individual in need of assistance and monitoring. A camera mounted on the ceiling of the room, gives a top-down view of the obstacles, the person and the nightstand. Pressure sensors mounted beneath the bed-stand of the individual provide physical perception of the person's state. A proximity IR sensor on the nightstand acts as a tactile interface along with a Wii Nunchuck (Nintendo) to control mundane operations on the nightstand. Intelligence from these three modalities are combined to enable path planning for the nightstand to approach the individual. With growing emphasis on assistive technology for the aging individuals who are increasingly electing to stay in their homes, we show how ubiquitous intelligence can be brought inside homes to help monitor and provide care to an individual. Our approach goes one step towards achieving pervasive intelligence by seamlessly integrating different sensors embedded in the fabric of the environment.