Overcoming Visual Clutter in Vision Language Action Models via Concept-Gated Visual Distillation

Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models demonstrate impressive zero-shot generalization but frequently suffer from a "Precision-Reasoning Gap" in cluttered environments. This failure is driven by background-induced feature dilution, where high-frequency semantic noise corrupts the geometric grounding required for precise manipulation. To bridge this gap, we propose Concept-Gated Visual Distillation (CGVD), a training-free, model-agnostic inference framework that stabilizes VLA policies. CGVD operates by parsing instructions into safe and distractor sets, utilizing a two-layer target refinement process--combining cross-validation and spatial disambiguation--to explicitly penalize false positives and isolate genuine manipulation targets. We then process the scene via Fourier-based inpainting, generating a clean observation that actively suppresses semantic distractors while preserving critical spatial geometry and visual proprioception. Extensive evaluations in highly cluttered manipulation tasks demonstrate that CGVD prevents performance collapse. In environments with dense semantic distractors, our method significantly outperforms state-of-the-art baselines, achieving a 77.5% success rate compared to the baseline's 43.0%. By enforcing strict attribute adherence, CGVD establishes inference-time visual distillation as a critical prerequisite for robust robotic manipulation in the clutter.

Large Language Models and 3D Vision for Intelligent Robotic Perception and Autonomy

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and robotics, the integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) with 3D vision is emerging as a transformative approach to enhancing robotic sensing technologies. This convergence enables machines to perceive, reason and interact with complex environments through natural language and spatial understanding, bridging the gap between linguistic intelligence and spatial perception. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of state-of-the-art methodologies, applications and challenges at the intersection of LLMs and 3D vision, with a focus on next-generation robotic sensing technologies. We first introduce the foundational principles of LLMs and 3D data representations, followed by an in-depth examination of 3D sensing technologies critical for robotics. The review then explores key advancements in scene understanding, text-to-3D generation, object grounding and embodied agents, highlighting cutting-edge techniques such as zero-shot 3D segmentation, dynamic scene synthesis and language-guided manipulation. Furthermore, we discuss multimodal LLMs that integrate 3D data with touch, auditory and thermal inputs, enhancing environmental comprehension and robotic decision-making. To support future research, we catalog benchmark datasets and evaluation metrics tailored for 3D-language and vision tasks. Finally, we identify key challenges and future research directions, including adaptive model architectures, enhanced cross-modal alignment and real-time processing capabilities, which pave the way for more intelligent, context-aware and autonomous robotic sensing systems.

Guide-LLM: An Embodied LLM Agent and Text-Based Topological Map for Robotic Guidance of People with Visual Impairments

Navigation presents a significant challenge for persons with visual impairments (PVI). While traditional aids such as white canes and guide dogs are invaluable, they fall short in delivering detailed spatial information and precise guidance to desired locations. Recent developments in large language models (LLMs) and vision-language models (VLMs) offer new avenues for enhancing assistive navigation. In this paper, we introduce Guide-LLM, an embodied LLM-based agent designed to assist PVI in navigating large indoor environments. Our approach features a novel text-based topological map that enables the LLM to plan global paths using a simplified environmental representation, focusing on straight paths and right-angle turns to facilitate navigation. Additionally, we utilize the LLM's commonsense reasoning for hazard detection and personalized path planning based on user preferences. Simulated experiments demonstrate the system's efficacy in guiding PVI, underscoring its potential as a significant advancement in assistive technology. The results highlight Guide-LLM's ability to offer efficient, adaptive, and personalized navigation assistance, pointing to promising advancements in this field.