RoboCup as a spectator sport: simulating emotional response in the four-legged league

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a model for simulating emotion and personality in the Four-Legged League of the RoboCup Competition. This paper argues that by introducing simulated emotional responses and state dynamics to the robots competing in the competition, they will provide a more life-like display for spectators of the sport. Further, by simulating Emotional Intelligence a team may gain a competitive edge over the competition. For the RoboCup competition to be successful at achieving its goal of creating a soccer team that will be competitive with the number one human soccer team by the year 2050, all facets of soccer competition need to be considered, including the simulation of human-like behaviour for the competitors. Emotion theory and expression are explored, and a model is presented based upon emotional states. The capabilities of the Aibo ERS-7 robots are then presented, with the capabilities of the robots expressing emotional states considered. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implementation of this model on the Aibo robots, and future areas of research.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
      I.2.9 Robotics

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
      D.3.3 Language Constructs and Features

General Terms:
Design, Experimentation, Human Factors, Performance

Keywords:
RoboCup, Sony Aibo, human-computer interaction, human-robot interaction, robot soccer, robots