Related papers: Control Without Control: Defining Implicit Interac…
Recent studies have revealed that using social robots can accelerate the learning process of several skills in areas where autistic children typically show deficits. However, most early research studies conducted interactions via free play.…
An outstanding challenge for the widespread deployment of robotic systems like autonomous vehicles is ensuring safe interaction with humans without sacrificing performance. Existing safety methods often neglect the robot's ability to learn…
Robots built from soft materials will inherently apply lower environmental forces than their rigid counterparts, and therefore may be more suitable in sensitive settings with unintended contact. However, these robots' applied forces result…
As autonomous service robots become more affordable and thus available also for the general public, there is a growing need for user friendly interfaces to control the robotic system. Currently available control modalities typically expect…
Human body motions can be captured as a high-dimensional continuous signal using motion sensor technologies. The resulting data can be surprisingly rich in information, even when captured from persons with limited mobility. In this work, we…
Robots are increasingly being deployed in public spaces. However, the general population rarely has the opportunity to nominate what they would prefer or expect a robot to do in these contexts. Since most people have little or no experience…
High levels of robot autonomy are a common goal, but there is a significant risk that the greater the autonomy of the robot the lesser the autonomy of the human working with the robot. For vulnerable populations like older adults who…
Recent years have witnessed increasing interest in the potential benefits of `intelligent' autonomous machines such as robots. Honda's Asimo humanoid robot, iRobot's Roomba robot vacuum cleaner and Google's driverless cars have fired the…
The current dominant paradigm for robotic manipulation involves two separate stages: manipulator design and control. Because the robot's morphology and how it can be controlled are intimately linked, joint optimization of design and control…
Automated vehicles present unique opportunities and challenges, with progress and adoption limited, in part, by policy and regulatory barriers. Underrepresented groups, including individuals with mobility impairments, sensory disabilities,…
Collaborative robots became a popular tool for increasing productivity in partly automated manufacturing plants. Intuitive robot teaching methods are required to quickly and flexibly adapt the robot programs to new tasks. Gestures have an…
Assistive mobile robots are a transformative technology that helps persons with disabilities regain the ability to move freely. Although autonomous wheelchairs significantly reduce user effort, they still require human input to allow users…
Social robots, also known as service or assistant robots, have been developed to improve the quality of human life in recent years. The design of socially capable and intelligent robots can vary, depending on the target user groups. In this…
With recent advancements in AI and computation tools, intelligent paradigms emerged to empower different fields such as healthcare robots with new capabilities. Advanced AI robotic algorithms (e.g., reinforcement learning) can be trained…
Human-robot object handover is a crucial element for assistive robots that aim to help people in their daily lives, including elderly care, hospitals, and factory floors. The existing approaches to solving these tasks rely on pre-selected…
The design and development of robots involve the essential step of selecting and testing robotic interfaces. This interface selection requires careful consideration as the robot's physical embodiment influences and adds to the traditional…
As autonomous vehicles (AVs) become increasingly prevalent, their interaction with human drivers presents a critical challenge. Current AVs lack social awareness, causing behavior that is often awkward or unsafe. To combat this, social AVs,…
Autonomous navigation robots can increase the independence of blind people but often limit user control, following what is called in Japanese an "omakase" approach where decisions are left to the robot. This research investigates ways to…
Human computer interaction is shifting from screen-based systems to multimodal interfaces where artificial intelligence powered systems increasingly interpret user intent through speech, gesture, and gaze. Yet users rarely understand how…
This paper explores the challenges faced by assistive robots in effectively cooperating with humans, requiring them to anticipate human behavior, predict their actions' impact, and generate understandable robot actions. The study focuses on…