Explainable Neural Inverse Kinematics for Obstacle-Aware Robotic Manipulation: A Comparative Analysis of IKNet Variants

Deep neural networks have accelerated inverse-kinematics (IK) inference to the point where low cost manipulators can execute complex trajectories in real time, yet the opaque nature of these models contradicts the transparency and safety requirements emerging in responsible AI regulation. This study proposes an explainability centered workflow that integrates Shapley-value attribution with physics-based obstacle avoidance evaluation for the ROBOTIS OpenManipulator-X. Building upon the original IKNet, two lightweight variants-Improved IKNet with residual connections and Focused IKNet with position-orientation decoupling are trained on a large, synthetically generated pose-joint dataset. SHAP is employed to derive both global and local importance rankings, while the InterpretML toolkit visualizes partial-dependence patterns that expose non-linear couplings between Cartesian poses and joint angles. To bridge algorithmic insight and robotic safety, each network is embedded in a simulator that subjects the arm to randomized single and multi-obstacle scenes; forward kinematics, capsule-based collision checks, and trajectory metrics quantify the relationship between attribution balance and physical clearance. Qualitative heat maps reveal that architectures distributing importance more evenly across pose dimensions tend to maintain wider safety margins without compromising positional accuracy. The combined analysis demonstrates that explainable AI(XAI) techniques can illuminate hidden failure modes, guide architectural refinements, and inform obstacle aware deployment strategies for learning based IK. The proposed methodology thus contributes a concrete path toward trustworthy, data-driven manipulation that aligns with emerging responsible-AI standards.

PCR-ORB: Enhanced ORB-SLAM3 with Point Cloud Refinement Using Deep Learning-Based Dynamic Object Filtering

Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (vSLAM) systems encounter substantial challenges in dynamic environments where moving objects compromise tracking accuracy and map consistency. This paper introduces PCR-ORB (Point Cloud Refinement ORB), an enhanced ORB-SLAM3 framework that integrates deep learning-based point cloud refinement to mitigate dynamic object interference. Our approach employs YOLOv8 for semantic segmentation combined with CUDA-accelerated processing to achieve real-time performance. The system implements a multi-stage filtering strategy encompassing ground plane estimation, sky region removal, edge filtering, and temporal consistency validation. Comprehensive evaluation on the KITTI dataset (sequences 00-09) demonstrates performance characteristics across different environmental conditions and scene types. Notable improvements are observed in specific sequences, with sequence 04 achieving 25.9% improvement in ATE RMSE and 30.4% improvement in ATE median. However, results show mixed performance across sequences, indicating scenario-dependent effectiveness. The implementation provides insights into dynamic object filtering challenges and opportunities for robust navigation in complex environments.