Cloud Networked Robotics

This article proposes a new field of research called Cloud Networked Robotics, which tackles the issues for supporting daily activity, especially for the elderly and the disabled, throughout various locations in a continuously and seamless manner by abstracting robotic devices and providing a means for utilizing them as a cloud of robots. With recent advances in robotic development environments and in integrated multi-robot systems, robots are acquiring richer functionalities and robotic systems are becoming much easier to develop. However, such stand-alone robotic services are not enough for continuously and seamlessly supporting daily activity. We examine the requirements in typical daily supporting services through example scenarios that target senior citizens and the disabled. Based on these requirements, we discuss the key research issues in cloud network robotics. As a case study, a field experiment in a shopping mall shows how our proposed prototype infrastructure of cloud networked robotics enables multi-location robotic services for life support.