Three-Layer Weighted Fuzzy Support Vector Regression for Emotional Intention Understanding in Human–Robot Interaction

A three-layer weighted fuzzy support vector regression (TLWFSVR) model is proposed for understanding human intention, and it is based on the emotion-identification information in human-robot interaction. The TLWFSVR model consists of three layers, including adjusted weighted kernel fuzzy c-means for data clustering, fuzzy support vector regressions (FSVR) for information understanding, and weighted fusion for intention understanding. It aims to guarantee the quick convergence and satisfactory performance of the local FSVR via adjusting the weights of each feature in each cluster, in such a way that importance of different emotion-identification information is represented. Moreover, smooth human-oriented interaction can be obtained by endowing robot with human intention understanding capability. Experimental results show that the proposed TLWFSVR model obtains higher intention understanding accuracy and less computational time than that of two-layer fuzzy support vector regression, support vector regression, and back propagation neural network (BPNN), respectively. Additionally, the preliminary application experiments are performed in the developing human-robot interaction system, called emotional social robot system, where 12 volunteers and 2 mobile robots experience a scenario of “drinking at a bar.” Application results indicate that the bartender robot is able to understand customers' order intentions.