CAREER: Shared Control for Skill Transfer in Human-Robot Haptic Interactions

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The primary goal of this research effort is to improve the effectiveness of skill transfer, rehabilitation, and collaboration via haptic devices. To do so, the PI will formulate requirements for shared control between humans and robots in haptic systems designed for training, rehabilitation, and collaboration. An experimental test-bed comprised of two commercial haptic devices with force sensing capabilities will be employed throughout the project. The PI will study two shared control system architectures for skill transfer. In the first, the human acts as the novice or patient, and the robot serves as the expert. Control schemes for the expert system (the haptic device) will be designed and analyzed theoretically and experimentally. The second phase of the research effort will explore human-robot-human interfaces. Here, the PI will focus on expert-novice and therapist-patient teams, with a robotic system acting as the mediator between the two. The intellectual merit of this research and education plan is that human factors and control system design will be used to develop effective human-robot systems for skill transfer and rehabilitation. A set of fundamental human-robot interaction issues will be addressed theoretically and experimentally: (1) the design of system architectures for effective skill transfer between humans and robots, (2) skill transfer between human-human teams as a model for human-robot interaction, and (3) the design and implementation of control algorithms that promote efficient skill transfer by effectively controlling feedback to each member of the system. The broader impacts of this work are improved health care through more efficient and effective robot assisted rehabilitation practices, enhanced skill training for defense and surgical applications, and improved understanding of human-robot interactions for skill transfer. Specific education goals are to create innovative laboratory modules using haptic devices to enhance student learning of important engineering concepts, reinvigorate an introductory robotics course to include hands-on experiments with haptics and robotics, and high school outreach that includes internships, days-on-campus, and demonstrations using haptics to encourage students to pursue careers in science and engineering. Each of these educational goals ties closely to the PI's existing NSF support for curriculum enhancement, and further supports her commitment to combining research and education into a cohesive and integrated career plan