Interactive graphical mobile robot programming

A behavior-based robot simulator `JC-3´ is described. A robot application is constructed in JC-3 using an interactive graphical `agent-editor´ where connections between sensors and actuators and between goals and actions are established. The agent-editor output is a `meta-software´, which can be transferred in to a real robot where a `meta-software compiler´ will produce a hardware level robot control program. The meta-software is a collection of behavior structures. A `static´ behavior selection mechanism is used with physical sensors/actuators and a `dynamic´ behavior selection mechanism developed by Maes (1991) is used when dealing with goals of the robot. Using the JC-3 simulator the operation of the meta-software can be simulated in a 3D computer graphics environment