Call for Papers

Special Issue on Intelligent Learning and Control of Robotics and Intelligent Machines in Unstructured Environments

The International Journal of Information Sciences

The control of autonomous intelligent robotic agent operating in unstructured changing environments includes many objective difficulties. One major difficulty concerns the characteristics of the environment that the agent should operate in. In unstructured and changing environments the inconsistency of the terrain, the irregularity of the product and the open nature of the working environment result in complex problems of identification and sensing and control. Problems can range from the effects of varying weather conditions on the robot sensors and traction performance through to the need to deal with the presence of unauthorised people. Another major challenge is the large amounts of uncertainty that characterises real-world environments. On the one hand, it is not possible to have exact and complete prior knowledge of these environments. On the other hand, knowledge acquired through sensing is affected by uncertainty and imprecision. The quality of sensor information is influenced by sensor noise, the limited field of view, the conditions of observation, and the inherent difficulty of the perceptual interpretation process. Because environments and users of systems continuously change, robotic agents have to be adaptive. Intelligence helps because it gives systems the capacity to adapt more rapidly to environmental changes or to handle much more complex functions.

Authors are invited to submit their papers for a special issue in the International Journal of Information Sciences in the field of Intelligent Learning and control which includes but not limited to fuzzy logic, neural nwtworks, Genetic Algorithms and Evolutionary Programming and Computing, reinforcement learning applied to robotics and intelligent machines operating in unstructured and dynamic environments which includes but not limited to agricultural and forestry, mining, construction.    Also Emerging fields such as Robots for the disabled, medical & health industries, Security Robots, Cleaning Robots, exploration and inspection robots including flying robots, intelligent buildings.

Instructions for Manuscripts

All manuscripts should be mailed to one of the special issue editors 15^th of April 2001. The covering letter should indicate the names of the authors and their affiliations and their addresses, faxes and emails.  Manuscripts should strictly follow the guideline of the International Journal of Information Sciences at: http://www.elsevier.nl/inca/publications/store/5/0/5/7/3/0/505730.pub.istaut.shtml#istaut

The journal web site is: http://www.elsevier.nl/inca/publications/store/5/0/5/7/3/0/

Important dates

Guest Editors

Dr. Hani Hagras
The Department of Computer Science
The University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ
England, UK
Fax: +44 1206 872788
Phone: +44 1206 872679/872770
Email: hani@essex.ac.uk

Prof. Tarek M. Sobh, Director
School of Engineering and Design
169 University Avenue, University of Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut 06601
U.S.A.
Fax: (203) 576-4766
Tel: (203) 576-4116
Email: sobh@bridgeport.edu