Articles tagged with Human Robot Interaction
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London and their colleagues have found that supernumerary robotic arms can be used as effectively as a partner, enabling tasks like opening doors while carrying packages. The study suggests these arms could aid people with various tasks, such as surgery or industrial work.
Researchers discovered that humans experience empathic embarrassment when witnessing robots in embarrassing situations. The study also found cognitive empathy was stronger for human actors compared to robot avatars.
Researchers created a robot-assisted dressing system using artificial intelligence to accommodate various human body shapes, arm poses, and clothing selections. The system was evaluated in a human study with 510 trials across 17 participants, achieving an average success rate of 86% in pulling the sleeve of each garment onto their arm.
A new sensor developed by Queen Mary University of London enhances robots' sense of touch, allowing them to accurately measure interaction forces and geometry. This breakthrough could pave the way for more advanced and reliable robotics in the future, enabling better handling and manipulation of objects.
A team of researchers at Harvard University has developed a compact, soft pump that can power soft robots in various applications. The pump uses dielectric elastomer actuators and can control pressure, flow rate, and flow direction, making it suitable for biomedical settings.
Researchers examine whether robots and AI can replicate the ethical concepts attributed to human nurses, including advocacy, accountability, cooperation, and caring. While AI can inform patients about medical errors and present treatment options, it questions its ability to truly understand and empathize with patients' values.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have created a new model, Vision-Robotics Bridge, which enables robots to learn from observing humans complete tasks in any environment. The robots successfully learned 12 tasks, including opening drawers and picking up objects, with minimal practice time of just 25 minutes.
A communication robot is being developed to prevent elderly isolation by facilitating self-disclosure through different communication options. The study found that the most appropriate option depends on the recipient, message content, and sender's gender and personality traits, reducing participants' anxiety in self-disclosure.
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University have created a fabric and sensing system, RobotSweater, that allows machines to better interact with humans. The knitted textile 'skin' can sense contact and pressure, enabling robots to move in response to human gestures.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a robot system that uses artificial intelligence to track objects, including medication and glasses. This technology has shown high accuracy in locating everyday items, potentially improving the quality of life for individuals with dementia.
Researchers identified three main topics: environmental perception, risk assessment and mitigation, and human factors and ergonomics in automated agricultural machines. The study highlights the need for improved sensors and safety standards to address the challenges posed by dynamic environments.
A Cornell University-led study using the Tetris game found that players who receive fewer turns perceive their partner as less likable, regardless of whether a human or AI allocates the turns. The researchers also discovered that machine allocation behavior can lead to worse performance and gameplay when fairness is not guaranteed.
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg found that advanced AI systems can lead to excessive suspicion and damage relationships due to uncertainty about conversational partner's intentions. The study highlights the need for transparent AI design, with well-functioning voices that clearly indicate they are synthetic.
Researchers developed ProTac, a soft robotic link with multimodal perception to improve human-robot interactions. The device incorporates tactile and proximity sensing capabilities, enabling robots to react safely and predictably to physical contact.
Four to eleven-year-olds deemed Alexa more human-like, but neither robot deserved to be harmed or yelled at. As kids advanced towards adolescence, the feeling dwindled, and older children reported it was slightly more acceptable to attack technology.
Researchers found that players' brains respond differently to human and machine opponents, with desynchronization indicating active calculations. The study suggests that training with machines may not replicate the experience of playing against humans.
A study on robot deception found that participants were overly trusting of AI and required explicit admission of lying in apologies to repair trust. Apologies that did not admit to deception were more effective at repairing trust, suggesting a need for designers to understand the ramifications of their design choices.
The CONVINCE project, funded by €4 million, focuses on developing cognitive deliberation capabilities in autonomous robots to enhance safe and robust operation in unstructured environments. The goal is to enable robots to adapt to their surroundings and tasks autonomously without human intervention.
The TOAST project, led by Aarhus University, aims to develop the Tactile Internet technology and upscale the talent pool for this emerging field. Researchers will focus on edge intelligence, haptic communication, and machine learning to create immersive user experiences.
A study by researchers from the University of Cambridge found that robots can be a useful tool to promote mental wellbeing in the workplace. The experiment used two different robot wellbeing coaches, with participants showing a better connection and positive perception with a toy-like robot compared to a humanoid-like robot.
The iCPH platform combines physical and cyber elements to capture human motions, using musculoskeletal analysis and machine learning. It generates contact motion networks for humanoid robots and simulates human behaviors, enabling smooth interactions with humans.
Researchers developed a haptics-based automated driving system that encourages continuous engagement between drivers and automation. The system achieves this through three functionalities: interaction, arbitration, and inclusion, resulting in increased safety and comfort for human drivers.
Scientists at the University of Tsukuba discovered a phenomenon where moving a virtual assistant's voice closer to users increases customer rapport, contrasting with traditional ventriloquism effects. This 'mouth-in-the-door' effect can be used to enhance user experience in virtual commerce scenarios.
Researchers at University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science developed a new electrostatically controlled clutch that enables soft robotic hands to hold 4 pounds, 40 times more than before. The clutch uses a fracture-mechanics-based model to achieve this feat while requiring only 125 volts of electricity.
University of Missouri engineers are working on a collaborative human-robot order picking system to speed up the online delivery process. The proposed model aims to optimize key decisions in warehouse operations, allowing robots to navigate efficiently and collaborate with humans to increase efficiency.
Researchers at KAUST have developed a soft and flexible electronic 'e-skin' that can detect minute temperature differences between inhalation and exhalation, as well as touch and body motion. The material's island-bridge atomic structure provides an inherent softness and flexibility ideal for on-skin applications.
The University of Manchester's Centre for Robotics and AI will focus on interdisciplinary research, exploring applications of robotics in extreme environments and the intersection of AI and humanity. The centre aims to develop robots that can work safely in hostile zones, such as nuclear decommissioning sites.
Ritsumeikan University researchers have developed a soft robotic microfinger that enables direct interaction with insects through tactile sensing. The study shows great promise towards realizing human interactions with the microworld and has applications in augmented reality technology.
Researchers at Texas A&M University used functional near-infrared spectroscopy to monitor participant responses during human-robot collaborations. They found that faulty robot actions decreased operator trust and associated it with increased brain activity in the frontal, motor, and visual cortices.
Researchers developed a wearable soft robot called Reliebo that reduces pain and fear in patients undergoing injections. The robot's effectiveness was proven in a study where participants who wore the robot experienced less pain and reduced stress levels than those without it.
Researchers at North Carolina State University developed a blueprint for incorporating ethical guidelines into AI decision-making programs. The new mathematical formula, based on the Agent, Deed, and Consequence (ADC) Model, considers intent, character, and consequences of actions to make more informed decisions.
Researchers identified 7 core categories of behaviors important for human-dog bonds, including attunement, communication, and physical affection. These behaviors may be incorporated into robotic systems to provide mental health benefits for humans.
A study at the University of Helsinki found that people accept human nurses overruling patient autonomy but reject similar decisions made by robots. The researchers suggest that human empathy is required to consider robot-made solutions equally acceptable as those made by humans. The findings imply that machines cannot comprehensively ...
UC Riverside engineers develop low-cost robotic clothing to help children with cerebral palsy. The soft machine garments contain sealed regions that inflate to provide force for movement, enabling natural limb functioning.
Researchers at Kyoto University designed a shared-laughter AI system to build empathy into dialogue between robots and humans. The system was tested on the Japanese android Erica, performing better than baseline models in evaluating empathy, naturalness, and human-likeness.
A study published in Science Robotics journal reveals that humans are unable to distinguish between a humanoid robot's response time variability and that of a human when interacting with the robot. This finding suggests robots can exhibit human-like behavior, raising questions about the blurring line between humans and machines.
A new study takes inspiration from the 'waggle dance' of honeybees to devise a way for robots to communicate effectively in situations with unreliable network communications. Researchers designed a visual communication system using on-board cameras, allowing robots to interpret gestures and convey complex information.
A study published in Labour Economics found that US workers who work alongside industrial robots are more likely to suffer from adverse mental health effects, including substance abuse and increased suicide rates. In contrast, German workers saw no significant mental-health change when exposed to robotics.
A team of researchers has successfully connected a partially paralyzed man's brain to a pair of robotic arms, allowing him to feed himself using subtle motor signals. The 'shared control strategy' enables the user to customize robot behavior with limited human input, creating a 'best of both worlds' environment.
Researchers created a graffiti-painting robot system that uses motion capture technology to record human painting motions. The team's cable-driven robot spray paints artwork with precision and speed, enabling the creation of human-style graffiti.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute have developed an algorithmic planner that helps delegate tasks to humans and robots. The planner considers a list of tasks and decides how best to assign them, considering the time it takes for humans to complete tasks and teach robots new skills.
A team of researchers, led by L. Mahadevan, developed a mathematical model to understand the mechanics of combing and detangling. They found that using short strokes starting from the free end can effectively remove tangles, with an optimal minimum length for each stroke identified.
Researchers at the University of Tsukuba created a handheld social robot, OMOY, that can appear to convey emotions by shifting an internal weight while reading out text messages. The robot was tested with 94 people and found to reduce negative emotions such as anger, revenge, and avoidance motivation.
Researchers at Imperial College London developed a bendy robotic arm that can twist and turn in all directions, allowing for customizable shapes. The team created an augmented reality system to enhance user-friendliness, enabling users to easily configure the robot using motion tracking cameras and smartglasses.
Researchers at MIT and Harvard University applied cognitive science theories to human-robot interaction, finding that humans need to see variation in robot behavior to build accurate mental models. Theories suggest that strategic variation can reveal concepts that might be difficult for a person to discern otherwise.
A new HMI system, Robotic VR, allows users to teleoperate robots with precision and feel, enabling complicated tasks such as Covid-19 swab tests and patient care. The system provides immersive feedback via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and the internet.
Researchers discovered humans unconsciously mirror a humanoid robot's body language, mirroring human behavior when interacting with peers. The study highlights the intriguing similarity between human-Robot interactions and interpersonal relationships.
A recent study by MIT researchers found that family members trust devices with human-like social behaviors, such as Amazon's Alexa or Jibo's social robot. The study revealed significant effects of branding on perceptions, showing users viewed Google as more trustworthy than Amazon despite similar designs and functionality.
A Japanese study found that a robot's physical texture, such as softness or elasticity, affects perceptions of its personality. The researchers used six humanoid robots with varying arm textures and asked participants to touch and evaluate them.
Researchers developed a bioinspired system using ultrasound measurements to create customized assistance profiles for users. The exosuit significantly reduced metabolic energy of walking across various speeds and inclines.
SUTD researchers develop sensor that assigns dirt score to areas based on visual and tactile analysis, allowing for more efficient exploration of complex spaces. The sensor is integrated with a smart algorithm that directs the robot to focus on areas with high dirt probability.
A new study from the University of Toronto suggests that social robots could be more persuasive if they project less authority. The research found that people are more likely to accept advice or instructions from a robot when it is presented as a peer helper rather than an authoritative figure.
Cong Wang aims to develop a two-fingered robot that can perform everyday tasks with precision manipulation, using artificial intelligence and crowdsourcing. The robot will be taught by human volunteers through the Amazon Mechanical Turk system, with the goal of creating a physically intelligent being.
Children use a specific word to remind robots to speak quickly, but not with parents or strangers, showing sophisticated social awareness. In everyday life, most children stop using the word after a short period.
A study published in Science Robotics found that mutual gaze with a humanoid robot affects human neural activity and delays decision-making processes. Participants were slower to respond when the robot established mutual gaze during decision making, relative to averted gaze.
Researchers developed a digital twin environment that mirrors physical welding setups to train new users and protect physical systems. The system tracks welders' behavior patterns, enabling efficient novice training and safe practice without risk of damage.
A novel soft tactile sensor with skin-comparable characteristics has been developed for robots, allowing them to grasp fragile objects and thread needles. The sensor decouples external forces into normal and shear components, providing accurate measurements.
Researchers at the University of Toronto discovered a protein called HRI that can sense and respond to misfolded proteins in all mammalian cells. This finding opens promising research avenues for neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and ALS.
Researchers at Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies and Australian Centre for Robotic Vision unveiled guiding principles for grasp type choice during object handover, facilitating human-robot cooperation. The study demonstrates that humans intuitively leave handles unobstructed to facilitate subsequent tasks.
Scientists have discovered a protein called HRI that regulates hemoglobin production in red blood cells, potentially leading to a breakthrough treatment for sickle cell disease. Blocking the activity of this enzyme reduces characteristic sickling and improves red blood cell function.