Human-Robot Interaction

Many elderly people and people with disabilities are unable to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) independently. This can be due to physical limitations, cognitive impairments, or a combination of both. Assistive robots can help these individuals to perform ADLs independently, thus improving their quality of life. However, the design of assistive robots is challenging due to the complexity of human-robot interaction (HRI). Our research in HRI focuses on the development of assistive robots that can perform ADLs with minimal human intervention in a home environment. We are also interested in the development of novel HRI methods that can improve the safety and efficiency of assistive robots.

Soft continuum robot

Soft/continuum robots are inspired by the biological elephant’s trunks or snakes. Unlike conventional rigid robots, soft/continuum robots have inherent compliance, a lightweight nature, and theoretically in-finite degrees of freedom (DoFs), enabling them with the capability to adapt to unstructured environments.

Last updated on Feb 1, 2024 human-robot-interaction

Tactile Sensors and Robotics Hand for Grasping and Manipulation

The tactile sensing capabilities of human hands play a crucial role in performing daily activities. By perceiving both normal and shear forces through mechanoreceptors integrated into the fingers and palm, humans are able to effectively grasp objects and perform smooth handovers.

Last updated on Feb 1, 2024 human-robot-interaction

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Bimanual Grasping Robot with 6 DoF Arms

Bimanual grasping is an important research area in the field of robotics and automation. It involves the use of two robotic arms to work cooperatively in a human-like manner to complete the task of grasping and manipulating objects.

Last updated on Feb 1, 2024 human-robot-interaction

Dual-Arm Manipulation

Dual-arm robots have been increasingly deployed in household environments to manipulate daily-living objects. An essential component of dual-arm robots is their task and motion planner. It combines discrete decision-making with continuous geometric reasoning to find the sequence of symbolic actions, the task plan, and geometric values, the motion plan, that allow the robot to accomplish dual-arm manipulation goals.

Last updated on Feb 1, 2024 human-robot-interaction

Conveying the sensation of gravity for virtual objects through haptic feedback

This study explores conveying the sensation of gravity for virtual objects through haptic feedback. Enhancing the immersive experience for VR users by accurately representing mass properties poses a significant challenge. Our wearable adopts the concept of the gyro effect to induce torque on the back of the hand.

Last updated on Feb 1, 2024 human-robot-interaction