An adaptive detection/attention mechanism for real time robot operation

During the lifetime of a mobile robot, the number and complexity of the stimuli it receives may be quite high. Therefore, the construction of a detection system considering the whole sensorial space is usually not a viable proposition when aiming for real time operation. It becomes necessary to build some kind of sensorial hierarchy map to put some order into how detectors are applied. This is what is usually called an attentional system, and it provides a framework for applying detectors in a more efficient manner. In this paper, an architecture for developing attentional functions for robots that must operate in real time in dynamic environments is presented. This architecture is based on the concept of attentor and it allows for the real time adaptation to the environment and tasks to be performed in a natural manner. One of the main requirements imposed on the design of the architecture was the capability of handling different sensorial modalities and attentional streams in a transparent manner while, at the same time, being able to progressively create more complex attentional structures. The architecture is particularized for its implementation in a real robot.