Human-Centered Assistive Robots: From Understanding Commands to Detecting Cognitive Fatigue
Overview
Abstract
Assistive robotic manipulators have emerged as promising tools for helping individuals with impairments regain some of their independence while performing activities of daily living (ADLs). The interaction between individuals with impairments and assistive robotic manipulators presents a unique set of challenges, making it a crucial area of research and development. In this talk, I will present a robot learning framework that empowers a robot to automatically generate a sequence of actions from unstructured spoken language. This framework represents a significant advancement in bridging the communication gap between users and assistive robots, enhancing the usability and accessibility of these devices. A study with 30 participants was conducted to evaluate the framework. Moreover, in this talk, I will present an intelligent robotic assistant that can detect cognitive fatigue during human-robot interaction. A long-term study with 16 participants was conducted, and the results of the cognitive fatigue assessment will be presented. This talk provides a glimpse into the promising future of assistive robotics and its potential to transform the way we address the needs of those with impairments in ADLs.
Speaker Biography
Maria Kyrarini is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and David Packard Jr. Faculty Fellow at Santa Clara University (SCU). She also leads the Human-Machine Interaction & Innovation (HMI2 ) research group which has been supported by federal (NSF) and SCU internal grants. Her primary research interests are in the fields of Robot Learning from Human Demonstrations, Human-Robot Interaction, and Assistive Robotics, with a special focus on enhancing Human Performance. Prior to SCU, she was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Texas at Arlington and the assistant director of the Heracleia Human-Centered Computing Lab. In 2019, Dr. Kyrarini received her Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Bremen under the supervision of Professor Dr.-Eng. Axel Gräser. Before that, she received her M.Eng. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and her M.Sc. degree in Automation Systems, both from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) in 2012 and 2014, respectively.