Towards ICT-supported bath robots: Control architecture description and localized perception of user for robot motion planning

This paper describes the general control architecture and the basic implementation concepts of a bath service robotic system. The goal of this system is to support and enhance elderly's mobility, manipulation and force exertion abilities and assist them in successfully, safely and independently completing the entire sequence of showering and drying tasks, such as properly washing their back and lower limbs. This service robotic system is based on soft-robotic arms which, together with advanced human-robot force/compliance control will form the basis for a safe physical human-robot interaction that complies with the most up-to-date safety standards. In this paper an overview of the bath robotic system components is presented, and the basic modules that contribute to the overall control architecture of the system are described. Moreover, this paper proposed an algorithm that performs efficient processing of feedback data provided by a depth sensor. This algorithm supports local shape perception and geometric characterization of user body parts and will form the basis for further implementation of surface reconstruction and robot motion planning algorithms.