NRI-Small: Multi-modal sensor skin and garments for healthcare and home robots

本研究的目的是回答多功能机器人皮肤传感器的基本设计问题，优化其在辅助机器人设备上的放置，让机器人和人类“学习”如何有效地使用皮肤传感器，并定量评估这种辅助技术对人类的影响。该方法是设计和制造集成微尺度传感器，并结合该技术实现的物理人机交互性能的迭代模拟和实验研究。本项目将为分布式皮肤传感器在机器人上的最佳放置和数据网络提供有效的算法；新的学习和控制算法，以感知人类意图和提高交互性；具有分布式传感器的实用机器人皮肤和服装硬件，包括触觉、热成像和加速度传感，这些传感器采用柔性材料，可以很容易地附着在机器人身上或从机器人身上剥离；以及评估这种皮肤对人类影响的新指标，包括辅助水平、安全性、易用性、美观性和治疗效果。更广泛的影响未来的机器人将与人类共享它们的生活空间，并且像人类一样，将穿着传感器皮肤和衣服，这些皮肤和衣服必须相互连接、安装、清洁、修理和更换。除了提高社会接受度的审美目的外，这些传感服装还将增强机器人对环境的感知，并为人类提供非凡的安全、合作和治疗。这里提出的研究将开启具有广泛适用性的机器人皮肤的近期和不可预见的应用，特别是在家庭辅助，医疗康复和假肢方面。

The objective of this research is to answer fundamental design questions for multi-functional robotic skin sensors, optimize their placement onto assistive robotic devices, have the robot and human "learn" how to use the skin sensors efficiently, and quantitatively assess the impact of this assistive technology to humans. The approach is to design and fabricate integrated micro-scale sensors in conjunction with iterative simulation and experimental studies of the performance of physical human-robot interaction enabled by this technology. Intellectual MeritThis project will contribute efficient algorithms for optimal placement and data networking of distributed skin sensors on robots; new learning and control algorithms to sense human intent and improve interactivity; practical robotic skin and garment hardware with distributed sensors to include tactile, thermal imaging, and acceleration sensing in flexible materials that can be easily attached on and peeled off robots; and new metrics to evaluate the impact of this skin to humans including level of assistance, safety, ease of use, aesthetics, and therapeutic benefits.Broader ImpactsCo-robots of the future will share their living spaces with humans, and, like people, will wear sensor skins and clothing that must be interconnected, fitted, cleaned, repaired, and replaced. In addition to aesthetic purposes that increase societal acceptance, these sensorized garments will also enhance robot perception of the environment, and enable extraordinary levels of safety, cooperation, and therapy for humans. The research proposed here will unlock near-term and also unforeseen applications of robotic skin with broad applicability, and especially to home assistance, medical rehabilitation, and prosthetics.