A SLAM-Based Localization and Navigation System for Social Robots: The Pepper Robot Case
, Ashraf M. Marei 2,3, Wassim Messoudi 4, Saleh Albelwi 2,4, Anas Bushnag 3, Zaid Bassfar 1, Fady Alnajjar 5 and Abdelrahman Osman Elfaki 4
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Date: 12/21/2022
Journal: Machines
Title: A SLAM-based Localization and Navigation System for Social Robots: The Pepper Robot Case
Comments:
This paper proposes a pepper robot navigation system which considers the function of voice interaction. This article has several novel functions and a reasonable scientific motivation. However, the authors need to explain the details that are not clear in this work. In conclusion, I suggest publishing this article after a major revision.
1. The authors should explain why they modeled an environment using Choregraphe or combined Choregraphe and ROS.
2. A single experiment is not persuasive enough. An ablation or comparison experiment is needed to prove the feasibility of the proposed method.
3. The authors should show the navigation results of the robot in areas 1 and 2 to objectively express the smooth or other elements of the robot's movement path.
4. Fig.13-15 presents the objective evaluation of the Pepper robot. However, specific implementation methods and performance are missing. The authors should add these two parts.
Author Response
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Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
- SoftBank, the maker of the Pepper robot, discontinued its production in 2021. What use do the authors see for their work for other social robots and their localization and navigation?
-What is missing in the present work is a comparison with other Pepper robot control systems such as those based on OpenSource.
-The paper reports an average localization error of 0.51 m which is a reasonably accurate measurement. What system was used to obtain such accurate numbers (the calibration process and metrology procedure for that claim are missing to me)?
-What is missing in the paper is any mention of alternative SLAM methods that could be used. What do the authors think about integrating an external RTLS UWB localization system?
Author Response
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Reviewer 3 Report
How significant is the SLAM-based localization on the navigation of the service robot? Especially on the restricted API functionalities as the limitation of the current scenario.
Establish the motivation based on the issue using some related references as a comparison not just only references 12 and 13.
It shows in Table 1 the comparison of the pepper robot navigation systems, some references use the SLAM method, what will be the new claim of your study? with the other existing SLAM based?
In figure 1, what will be your new item on this general phase flow?
Figures 1 and 2 are blurred.
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9, Provide text description on the image, what are these objects/or items in the said figures. It should be like the figure 7 in which it has a text description on the image
What is the x-axis of figures 13, 14 and 15?
The context in the conclusion part does not support the whole 16-page manuscript. Elaboration is necessary.
Author Response
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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Date: 1/5/2023
Journal: Machines
Title: A SLAM-based Localization and Navigation System for Social Robots: The Pepper Robot Case
Comments:
The authors have addressed the comments. I recommend publishing this work.
Author Response
Thanks
Reviewer 2 Report
After incorporating the comments, I have no further complaints.
Author Response
All comments have been addressed.
Thanks
Reviewer 3 Report
Provide a better discuss on your abstract (introduictory part - 1 sentence; statement of the problem - 1 sentence; discussion on the provided methodologies at least 2 sentences; results and discussion - at least 2 sentences.
Figure 2 needs to be enhanced
Still, some texts in the provided image are too blurred. Enhancement is necessary.
Author Response
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