CFP: Special Issue on Ubiquitous Networked Robots of Journal Annals of Telecommunications- Springer

With the growing emergence of ambient intelligence, ubiquitous computing, sensor networks and wireless networking technologies, “ubiquitous networked robotics“ is becoming an active research domain of intelligent autonomous systems. It targets new innovative applications in which robotic systems will be integrated into ubiquitous computing environments as physical autonomous entities. These entities are able to interact autonomously with the ambient environment and provide added value services like assisting people in smart homes, offices, buildings and public spaces. So far, robots as cognitive entities will be able to coordinate their activities with other physical or logical entities, move around, sense and explore the ambient environment, decide and act to respond to the situations they may face. These cognitive operations will become part of these networks of artefacts, to provide, individually or collectively, novel capabilities, and various assistive services anywhere and anytime. This paradigm aims to build a bridge between ubiquitous computing and robotics. i.e. the creation of flexible, extensible architectures, Internet-based, able to support any sort of intelligent and autonomous robotic services capable of interacting – in a typical “Internet of people, things and services” mode – with virtual or real artefacts.

The paradigm of Ubiquitous Networked Robots (UNR) raises a number of important research challenges such as: (i) Real time communication using heterogenous Wired and Wireless Networking technologies, in which relevant requirements concerns the quality and continuity of communication services; (ii) Interoperability between the different peaces of hardware and software technologies used to guarantee a seamless interaction between the UNR and the surrounding devices and systems; (iii) new paradigms of human-robot-environment interaction, including implicit communication mechanisms and artificial perception and reasoning iv) adaptability to the ubiquitous environement and scalability management. The UNR systems require more flexibility, mobility, security, reliability and robustness through middleware mechanisms such as autonomic discovery of entities and services, services composition and orchestration, self-adaptation and context awarness with uncertainty management.

This special issue presents some of the most relevant ongoing research on UNR main challenges. Topics include, but are not limited to the following:

- Middleware, service oriented architectures, interoperability protocols, communication and programming frameworks for UNR ;
- Semantic modeling and reasoning approaches for decision making in ubiquitous robots applications ;
- Context-Awareness and Situation Modeling ;
- Ubiquitous computing techniques for User-UNR-Environement interaction;
- Algorithmic foundations for the UNR ;
- Autonomic management of UNR-based-services in uncertain and dynamic environments : Service discovery and composition; Self*, self-awareness/self-adaptation, self-optimization, self-management, self-organization;
- UNR applications : Service robotics in indoor and outdoor spaces, urban robotic spaces, social and service Robotics for elderly and dependent people, wearable robots.

Guest Editors

- Yacine Amirat, LISSI, UPEC University, France
- Norihiro Hagita, ATR Intelligent Robotics and Communication Labs, Kyoto, Japan
- Dezhen Song, Texas A&M University, USA
- Abdelhamid Mellouk, UPEC University, France

Papers must be written in English and describe original research not published or currently under review by other journals or conferences. Papers are expected to be between 30,000 and 50,000 characters, including an abstract, all figures and tables, as well as references. All relevant papers submitted will go through an external review process. Submissions should be sent according to the instructions available at:

http://www.annals-of-telecommunications.com/p_en_publish_6.html

- Manuscript submission: 28th february 2011
- Expected publication: 1st semester 2012

CFP announcement: http://www.annales-des-telecommunications.com/p_en_CFP_UNR_190.html