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Imitation plays an important role in development, being one of the precursors of social cognition. Even though some children with autism imitate spontaneously and other children with autism can learn to imitate, the dynamics of imitation is…
It is intractable for assistive robots to have all functionalities pre-programmed prior to deployment. Rather, it is more realistic for robots to perform supplemental, on-site learning about user's needs and preferences, and particularities…
Despite advances in areas such as the personalization of robots, sustaining adoption of robots for long-term use in families remains a challenge. Recent studies have identified integrating robots into families' routines and rituals as a…
Knowledge of programming and computing is becoming increasingly valuable in today's world, and thus it is crucial that students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to learn. As the teaching of computing at high-school becomes more…
The value of brain-inspired neuromorphic computers critically depends on our ability to program them for relevant tasks. Currently, neuromorphic hardware often relies on machine learning methods adapted from deep learning. However,…
Mastering one or more programming languages has historically been the gateway to implementing ideas on a computer. Today, that gateway is widening with advances in large language models (LLMs) and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered coding…
The prominence of artificial intelligence and machine learning in everyday life has led to efforts to foster AI literacy for all K-12 students. In this paper, we review how Hour of Code activities engage with the five big ideas of AI, in…
Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT now provide novice programmers with unprecedented access to instant, personalized support. While this holds clear promise, their influence on students' metacognitive processes remains underexplored.…
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly central to various fields, there is a growing need to equip K-12 students with AI literacy skills that extend beyond computer science. This paper explores the integration of a…
Thin plastic bags are ubiquitous in retail stores, healthcare, food handling, recycling, homes, and school lunchrooms. They are challenging both for perception (due to specularities and occlusions) and for manipulation (due to the dynamics…
Validation of robotics theory on real-world hardware platforms is important to prove the practical feasibility of algorithms. This paper discusses some of the lessons learned while adapting the EvoBot, a low-cost robotics platform that we…
Computational thinking (CT) is increasingly promoted as a core literacy, yet learners and teachers face challenges in connecting abstract program logic to meaningful outcomes. We design and evaluate RoboBlockly Studio, an integrated…
Blocks-based programming has become the lingua franca for introductory coding. Studies have found that experience with blocks-based programming can help beginners learn more traditional text-based languages. We explore how blocks…
The integration of ChatGPT as a supportive tool in education, notably in programming courses, addresses the unique challenges of programming education by providing assistance with debugging, code generation, and explanations. Despite…
A strategy is suggested for teaching mathematically literate students, with no background in physics, just enough quantum mechanics for them to understand and develop algorithms in quantum computation and quantum information theory.…
Advanced machine learning algorithms require platforms that are extremely robust and equipped with rich sensory feedback to handle extensive trial-and-error learning without relying on strong inductive biases. Traditional robotic designs,…
We propose to take a novel approach to robot system design where each building block of a larger system is represented as a differentiable program, i.e. a deep neural network. This representation allows for integrating algorithmic planning…
Research in child-robot interactions suggests that engaging in "care-taking" of a social robot, such as tucking the robot in at night, can strengthen relationships formed between children and robots. In this work, we aim to better…
An unsolved challenge in cooking automation is designing for shared kitchen workspaces. In particular, robots struggle with dexterity in the unstructured and dynamic kitchen environment. We propose that human-machine collaboration can be…
This paper shares our experience in a three-session online workshop using a new web-based data programming environment, Marti. The programming environment uses a card-based programming strategy in both unplugged and online activities.…