8 accepted papers
This paper describes the development of a system for lifelike gaze in human-robot interactions using a humanoid Audio-Animatronics® bust. Previous work examining mutual gaze between robots and humans has focused on technical implementation. We present a general architecture that seeks not only to cr…
We present a system for fast and robust handovers with a robot character, together with a user study investigating the effect of robot speed and reaction time on perceived interaction quality. The system can match and exceed human speeds and confirms that users prefer human-level timing. The system…
Coiled actuators made from polymer fibers are fast becoming popular due to their low-cost and ease of fabrication. Unfortunately, reliable real-time temperature measurement has been frustrated by the small fiber diameter of typical actuators. By using coiled polymer fibers wrapped with a metal wire,…
As agile robots learn to run and hop, we believe they will soon also perform large jumps and spins that require graceful landing. To land properly, they will need to be aware of their relative body orientation during free fall and make appropriate adjustments. In this paper, we examine the sensing a…
In this paper we use KUKA's Fast Robot Interface (FRI) to design and implement a tracking controller on the Lightweight Robot (LBR) IIWA. We seek low latency, accurate and smooth tracking of the link positions to facilitate human interaction tasks. Focusing on a single joint and its low-level series…
In this paper we examine joint torque tracking as well as estimation of external torques for the KUKA Lightweight Robot (LBR) IIWA. To support physical human-robot interaction tasks, we need smooth estimation that allows detection of delicate external events and good control to hide inertial forces.…
Robots are ever more present in human environments and effective physical human-robot interactions are essential to many applications. But to a person, these interactions rarely feel biological or equivalent to a human-human interactions. It is our goal to make robots feel more human-like, in the ho…
Natural muscles exhibit high power-to-weight ratios, inherent compliance and damping, fast actuation and high dynamic ranges. Unfortunately, traditional robotic actuators have been unable to attain similar properties, especially in a slender muscle-like form factor. Recently, super-coiled polymer (S…