Abstract. This chapter presents findings from a user study which investigated users' perceptions and their acceptability of a Companion and associated 'personality' which migrated between different embodiments (i.e. avatar and robot) to accomplish its tasks. Various issues such as Companion migration decision, Retention of Companion identity in different embodiments, Personalisation of Companion, users' privacy and control over the technology are discussed. Authorisation guidelines for Companions regarding migration, accessing an embodiment and the data stored in the embodiment are proposed and discussed for future design of migration Companion.

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Abstract. This study is devoted to the modeling and control of a 4-wheel, skid-steering mobile platform with coupled side wheels, subject to lateral and longitudinal slips. The dynamics equations of the platform are derived, and 16 variants of motion distinguished. For the variant of motion allowing for all possible slips of the wheels two control problems are addressed: the motion planning problem and the trajectory tracking problem. The former problem is solved by means of a Jacobian motion planning algorithm based on the Endogenous Configuration Space Approach and, complementarily, using the Optimal Control Approach. The Nonlinear Model Predictive Control is applied to the latter problem. Performance of these control algorithms is illustrated by a sort of the parking problem. Significant robustness of the predictive control algorithm against the model uncertainty is revealed.

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