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This paper proposes a neural network-based user simulator that can provide a multimodal interactive environment for training Reinforcement Learning (RL) agents in collaborative tasks involving multiple modes of communication. The simulator…
Socially Assistive Robots (SARs) are expected to support autonomy, aging in place, and wellbeing in later life. For successful assimilation, it is necessary to understand factors affecting older adults Quality Evaluations (QEs) of SARs,…
There is a growing need to deliver rehabilitation care to patients remotely. Long term demographic changes, geographic shortages of care providers, and now a global pandemic contribute to this need. Telepresence provides an option for…
The monotonous nature of repetitive cognitive training may cause losing interest in it and dropping out by older adults. This study introduces an adaptive technique that enables a Socially Assistive Robot (SAR) to select the most…
One way to allow elderly people to stay longer in their homes is to use of service robots to support them with everyday tasks. With this goal, we design, develop and evaluate a low-cost mobile robot to communicate with elderly people. The…
Robot assistants for older adults and people with disabilities need to interact with their users in collaborative tasks. The core component of these systems is an interaction manager whose job is to observe and assess the task, and infer…
This paper describes a new research project that aims to develop a social robot designed to help children cope with painful and distressing medical procedures in a clinical setting. While robots have previously been trialled for this task,…
Assistive technologies and in particular assistive robotic arms have the potential to enable people with motor impairments to live a self-determined life. More and more of these systems have become available for end users in recent years,…
In recent years, Artificial Intelligence techniques have emerged as useful tools for solving various engineering problems that were not possible or convenient to handle by traditional methods. AI has directly influenced many areas of…
The first WARA Robotics Mobile Manipulation Challenge, held in December 2024 at ABB Corporate Research in V\"aster{\aa}s, Sweden, addressed the automation of task-intensive and repetitive manual labor in laboratory environments -…
Recently, it has been considering robotics to face world population aging. According to the WHO, in 2050 there will be about 2.1 billion people over 60 years old worldwide causing a persistent growing need of assistance and a shortage of…
Assistive robot arms try to help their users perform everyday tasks. One way robots can provide this assistance is shared autonomy. Within shared autonomy, both the human and robot maintain control over the robot's motion: as the robot…
With the aim of enabling robots to cooperate with humans, carry out human-like tasks, or navigate among humans, we need to ensure that they are equipped with the ability to comprehend human behaviors and use the extracted knowledge for…
The role of robots is expanding from tool to collaborator. Socially assistive robots (SARs) are an example of collaborative robots that assist humans in the real world. As robots enter our social sphere, unforeseen risks occur during…
Robots, along with sensors and telemedicine, have been identified as technologies that can assist and prolong independent living for older people, with robots especially being used to help prevent social isolation and depression.
We outline our work on evaluating robots that assist older adults by engaging with them through multiple modalities that include physical interaction. Our thesis is that to increase the effectiveness of assistive robots: 1) robots need to…
This paper describes RHP Friends, a social humanoid robot developed to enable assistive robotic deployments in human-coexisting environments. As a use-case application, we present its potential use in nursing by extending its capabilities…
Social robots have been used to assist with mental well-being in various ways such as to help children with autism improve on their social skills and executive functioning such as joint attention and bodily awareness. They are also used to…
Companion robots hold immense potential in providing emotional support to older adults in the rapidly aging world. However, questions have been raised regarding whether having a robotic companion benefits healthy older adults, how they…
The drive for efficiency and safety in construction has boosted the role of robotics and automation. However, complex tasks like welding and pipe insertion pose challenges due to their need for precise adaptive force control, which…