Daniel Burnier

A biohybrid interaction framework for the integration of robots in animal societies

Daniel Burnier, Francesco Mondada, Vaios Papaspyros

The collective behavior of animals has been traditionally studied through observation, quantitative models of behavior, and devices of low intelligence. Nowadays, the advancements in the field of robotics allow for closed-loop experiments that occur in real-time, and for artificial agents that intelligently and autonomously blend into hybrid groups of animals and robots (i.e., biohybrid groups). Such systems provide scientists with the opportunity to study the social interactions that govern collective behavior from within the group of animals, either by mimicking them or by introducing precise stimuli to elicit and study their response. In this work, we introduce an open source Biohybrid Observation and Interaction (BOBI) platform for small animals, which consists of 3 main components: 1) an experimental setup; 2) a wheeled mobile robot called LureBot; 3) their software. We demonstrate the software and hardware design aspects that make BOBI stand out compared to our previous system and similarly purposed systems. Finally, we demonstrate our methodologies and the new robot’s agility, by conducting a set of preliminary experiments with rummy-nose tetra (Hemigrammus rhodostomus) fish, where we study: 1) the response of one fish swimming with a biomimetic and a non-biomimetic lure; 2) the robot behavior when the robot interacts biomimetically and in closed loop with the wall alone, with 1 fish, and with 4 fish. The experiments show that fish strongly prefer biomimetic lures, and that the robot is consistently successful in engaging in social interactions with the fish.

2023

Design Methods for Miniature Underwater Soft Robots

Frank Bonnet, Daniel Burnier, Norbert Crot, Francesco Mondada

A robotic fish accepted by animals as conspecifics is a very powerful tool in behavioral biology. To obtain the acceptance of the device towards the animals, it should generate some visual stimuli that can be perceived by a living fish as attractive signals. In this paper we introduce a novel design of a robotic fish lure based on a Rigid-Flex Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for experiments on the fish collective behavior. The 3D scan of a zebrafish Danio Rerio, a model animal for fish behavior studies, was used to mimick the main visual features of the zebrafish on the design. The robot can generate different stimuli thanks to its actuated caudal peduncle and two Light- Emitting Diodes (LEDs) placed near its eyes. The prototype has a total length of 63 mm and is only 1.5 times bigger than a zebrafish. The final prototype is waterproof and functional and thus satisfies the necessary conditions for the next steps that will be interaction experiments between the device and living zebrafish.

Ieee2016

Autonomous Construction by a Mobile Robot in Unknown Environments with Scarce Resources

Thierry Barras, Michael Bonani, Daniel Burnier, Valentin Longchamp, Stéphane Magnenat, Francesco Mondada, Philippe Rétornaz, Frédéric Rochat, Patrick Schoeneich, Florian Christopher Vaussard, Martin Voelkle

Autonomous construction by mobile robots would be useful in various situations, such as in outer space, in hazardous environments, but also for the building industry. Current works tackle simplified scenarios where environment is flat and resources readily available; moreover robots build simple structures. However, target applications would feature complex 3D environments, remote resources, and would require the construction of multi-layer structures of various types. In this poster, we show our current work in pursuing a step toward such applications. We propose a simple experimental setup where a miniature mobile robot senses its environment and finds the right course of action to build structures. Resources are remote, requiring the robot to first locate them, then to create a way to fetch them and finally to build the structure. The robot performs SLAM to build a map and uses an HTN planner to choose its actions. It manipulates its environment through a magnetic gripper.

2010

The MarXbot, a Miniature Mobile Robot Opening new Perspectives for the Collective-robotic Research

Hannes Bleuler, Michael Bonani, Daniel Burnier, Valentin Longchamp, Stéphane Magnenat, Francesco Mondada, Philippe Rétornaz, Gilles Roulet, Florian Christopher Vaussard

Collective and swarm robotics explores scenarios involving many robots running at the same time. A good platform for collective-robotic experiments should provide certain features among others: it should have a large battery life, it should be able to perceive its peers, and it should be capable of interacting with them. This paper presents the marXbot, a miniature mobile robot that addresses these needs. The marXbot uses differential-drive treels to provide rough-terrain mobility. The marXbot allows continuous experiments thanks to a sophisticated energy management and a hotswap battery exchange mechanism. The marXbot can self-assemble with peers using a compliant attachment mechanism. The marXbot provides high-quality vision, using two cameras directly interfaced with an ARM processor. Compared to the related work, the marXbot has better energy management, vision, and interaction capabilities. By allowing complex tasks in large environments for long durations, the marXbot opens new perspectives for the collective-robotic research.

IEEE Press2010

Daniel Burnier

A biohybrid interaction framework for the integration of robots in animal societies

Design Methods for Miniature Underwater Soft Robots

Swarmanoid: a novel concept for the study of heterogeneous robotic swarms

Autonomous Construction by a Mobile Robot in Unknown Environments with Scarce Resources

The MarXbot, a Miniature Mobile Robot Opening new Perspectives for the Collective-robotic Research

A biohybrid interaction framework for the integration of robots in animal societies

Autonomous Construction by a Mobile Robot in Unknown Environments with Scarce Resources

The MarXbot, a Miniature Mobile Robot Opening new Perspectives for the Collective-robotic Research

Design Methods for Miniature Underwater Soft Robots

Swarmanoid: a novel concept for the study of heterogeneous robotic swarms