Enhancing Disabilities Engineering Research and Education Through Robotics Capstone Projects

通过机器人顶点项目加强残疾工程研究和教育

• 批准号: 1649729
• 负责人: Taskin Padir
• 金额: $ 8.67万
• 依托单位: Northeastern University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-07-01 至 2018-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1649729&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Enhancing; Disabilities; Engineering; Research; Education

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).

PI：Padir 提案编号：1264588动机 该提案的总体目标是研究、设计、实施和验证新颖的机器人技术，以通过本科毕业设计项目帮助患有一般和与年龄相关的残疾人的人。拟议的工作还旨在培养一批新的工程师队伍，他们了解残疾人的需求并对残疾人的需求敏感，并具备多学科设计和分析技能，以显着推进机器人领域的发展，并为机器人与人类直接协作的快速部署做出贡献。 智力优点拟议的工作在许多方面都是重要且新颖的。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软硬件可重构辅助机器人，为残疾人提供服务。特别是，拟议的工作将（i）为下一代个人辅助机器人开发以用户为中心的设计，（ii）开发用于机器人导航和操纵的（半）自主软件模块，（iii）设计和实现依赖于机器人、人类和交互模型的直观控制技术，（iv）有助于设计机器人研究中的可复制实验以测试和验证系统，（v）训练下一代 机器人工程师和创新者让 K-12 和本科生参与该项目的各个方面。鉴于这些目标，拟议的工作将显着推进辅助机器人技术和系统的设计，这些技术和系统可在患有一般和与年龄相关的残疾的个人附近运行。在拟议的顶点设计项目范围内开发的系统将有可能带来新的科学研究方向，以了解人机团队的团队动态，从而推进辅助机器人领域的发展。此外，拟议的工作将建立和加强位于马萨诸塞州伍斯特市的伍斯特理工学院和麻省大学医学院之间的研究和教育合作。更广泛的影响该项目将培养新一代的工程专业学生，通过直接让本科生参与明确但前沿的基于项目的实施任务，他们可以广泛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工程和非工程学生以及 K-12 学生。此外，工程本科生将接受残疾工程的多学科培训。 我们与 WPI 暑期项目办公室合作举办暑期机器人项目，为中学生和高中生提供研究和学习参与，并通过参与影响课程开发。由于以机器人为导向的活动能够打破传统文化障碍，这些障碍使学生因成长过程中的性别和种族偏见而无法发挥其作为工程师和/或商业领袖的潜力，因此我们希望我们的工作能够对 STEM 学科的多样性产生积极影响。我们还将继续发展与伍斯特各初中和高中、伍斯特公共图书馆以及伍斯特科学与自然博物馆 ​​EcoTarium 的教育合作，提供有关机器人使用的科学和工程的学习机会。通过介绍这些围绕机器人的教育活动，该项目旨在按照《超越风暴》报告和《改变对话：提高公众对工程理解的信息》（美国国家科学院出版社）中倡导的方针，提高对 STEM 大学和职业选择的认识。