Enhancing Disabilities Engineering Research and Education Through Robotics Capstone Projects

PI：Padir Proposal编号：1264588本提案的首要目标是调查、设计、实施和验证新的机器人技术，通过本科顶石设计项目帮助一般和年龄相关的残疾人。拟议的工作还旨在培养一支新的工程师队伍，他们了解并敏感于残疾人的需求，并配备多学科设计和分析技能，以显著推动机器人领域的发展，并在直接与人类合作的情况下为机器人的快速部署做出贡献。智力优点拟议的工作在许多方面都具有重要意义和新颖性。利用自主机器人的最新研究进展以及使能技术的快速发展，我们建议设计、开发和验证模块化和硬件-软件可重构的辅助机器人，为残疾人服务。特别是，拟议的工作将：(1)为下一代个人辅助机器人开发以用户为中心的设计；(2)开发机器人导航和操纵的(半)自主软件模块；(3)设计和实施依赖机器人、人类和交互模型的直观控制技术；(4)促进设计机器人研究中的可复制实验，以测试和验证系统；(5)通过让K-12和本科生参与项目的所有方面，培训下一代机器人工程师和创新者。鉴于这些目标，拟议的工作将大大推进辅助机器人技术和系统的设计，这些技术和系统可在一般残疾和与年龄有关的残疾人士附近作业。在拟议的顶石设计项目范围内开发的系统可能会在理解人类-机器人团队中的团队动力学方面带来新的科学研究方向，以推动辅助机器人领域的发展。此外，拟议的工作将建立和加强伍斯特理工学院和位于马萨诸塞州伍斯特的UMAS医学院之间的研究和教育合作。广泛影响该项目将培养新一代工程学学生，通过直接让本科生参与定义明确但基于尖端项目的实施任务，他们能够广泛地应对我们社会的挑战。研究和教育经验的高度多学科性质将影响本科生工程和非工程学生，以及K-12学生。此外，工科本科生将接受关于残疾工程的多学科培训。我们与WPI暑期项目办公室合作主办暑期机器人项目，为初中生和高中生提供研究和学习参与，并通过参与影响课程发展。由于以机器人为导向的活动具有打破传统文化障碍的力量，这些传统文化障碍因性别和种族偏见而阻碍学生发挥作为工程师和/或商业领袖的潜力，我们希望我们的工作将对STEM学科的多样性产生积极影响。我们还将继续发展与各种伍斯特初中和高中、伍斯特公共图书馆以及伍斯特科学与自然博物馆生态博物馆的教育合作，提供有关机器人使用的科学和工程方面的学习机会。通过介绍这些围绕机器人的教育活动，该项目旨在提高对STEM大学和职业选择的认识，遵循《在聚集的风暴报告之上崛起，并改变对话：提高公众对工程学的理解的信息》(国家科学院出版社)中所倡导的方针。

PI: PadirProposal Number: 1264588Motivation The overarching goal of this proposal is to investigate, design, implement and validate novel robotic technologies for assisting persons with general and age-related disabilities through undergraduate capstone design projects. The proposed work is also aimed at educating a new cadre of engineers who are knowledgeable about and sensitive to the needs of individuals with disabilities and who are equipped with multidisciplinary design and analysis skills to significantly advance the field of robotics and contribute to the fast deployment of robots in direct collaboration with humans.Intellectual Merit The proposed work is significant and novel in many aspects. Utilizing recent research advances in autonomous robots as well as the rapid development in enabling technologies, we propose to design, develop and validate modular and hardware-software reconfigurable assistive robots in service of persons with disabilities. In particular, the proposed work will (i) develop user-centered designs for the next generation of personal assistive robots, (ii) develop (semi-)autonomy software modules for robot navigation and manipulation, (iii) design and implement intuitive control techniques that will rely upon the robot, human and interaction models, (iv) contribute to the design of replicable experiments in robotics research to test and validate systems, (v) train the next generation of robotics engineers and innovators by involving K-12 and undergraduate students in all aspects of the project. In view of these objectives, the proposed work will significantly advance the design of assistive robot technologies and systems that operate in close vicinity of individuals with general and age-related disabilities. The systems developed within the scope of the proposed capstone design projects will potentially lead to new scientific research directions in understanding the team dynamics in human-robot teams to advance the field of assistive robotics. Moreover, the proposed work will establish and enhance research and education collaborations between the Worcester Polytechnic Institute and UMass Medical School co-located in Worcester, Massachusetts.Broader ImpactsThe project will train a new generation of engineering students that can broadly address challenges of our society through directly involving undergraduate students in well-defined yet cutting-edge project-based implementation tasks. The highly multidisciplinary nature of the research and educational experience will impact undergraduate engineering and non-engineering students, as well as K-12 students. Moreover, undergraduate engineering students will receive multidisciplinary training on disabilities engineering. Hosting summer robotics programs in collaboration with WPI's Summer Programs Office, we offer research and learning engagement for middle and high-school students and impact curriculum development through participation. Because of the power of robotics-oriented activities to break down traditional cultural barriers that prevent students from realizing their potentials as engineers and/or as business leaders due to gender and racial bias in upbringing, we expect our work to positively impact the diversity of STEM disciplines. We will also continue to develop our educational collaborations with various Worcester middle and high-schools, Worcester Public Library as well as in the EcoTarium, Worcester's museum of science and nature to offer learning opportunities about the science and engineering of robots using. By introducing these educational activities revolving around robots, this project is aimed at increasing the awareness of STEM college and career choices along the lines advocated in the Rising Above the Gathering Storm report, and Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering (The National Academies Press).