Human-Centric Robotics: focusing on robotics for assistance and collaboration with humans

Keywords: human-centric robotics, assistive robotics, ELS issues

Description
Research and applications on and of assistive robots are growing, motivated by the demand for robots that can assist and even collaborate with the older people, children, disabled people and in general that can contribute to human wellbeing, understood in a general sense, not only as physical wellbeing (relief from difficult or dangerous operations), also wellbeing linked to social relations, to the wealth of communication, to the possibility of coming into contact with the people (Cooney MD, Nishio S., Ishiguro H., 2015). Furthermore, it is a while that “Human-Centric” is a sort of key modificator associated with any recent scientific development, from here our attempt at giving semantics to such modificator in the case of Robotics starting with this workshop but further on with follow up actions triggered by the workshop.
These aspects and motivation in the design and implementation of assistive robots highlight the need to give these robots complex functions, including the ability to identify the human to assist or collaborate with, to understand the language, to take into account the cultural differences among people, and to avoid bias and stereotypes that could introduce serious errors.
Several research and application projects show a good level of acceptance of robots by children and adults. Even when the functions of a robot could have been performed by a digital system (camera, tablet, smartphone), robots’ applications used in the case of patients suffering from COVID-19 and therefore in isolation showed patients’ preference for the physical form of humanoid robots.
The most recent studies on assistive robotics concern those specific characteristics that can give rise to emotions and eliciting attachment and affection in humans, based on studies about human communicating and robot interface, on cases of enjoyable and affectionate interactions with robots.
The workshop will present theoretical elements and application aspects, including the research of the Caresses project (Culture-Aware Robots and Environmental Sensor Systems for Elderly Support), an international multidisciplinary project whose aim is to develop the first elderly care robot able to adapt the way it speaks and behaves to the culture of the person assisted; applications of humanoid robots for patient care of COVID-19 in isolation (Omitech), the SI-Robotics project that is currently pursuing the integration of Collaborative Robots, AI technologies and innovative sensors to pursue new strategies for social assistance, and some cases of the use of humanoid robots to assist companies with cognitive problems (School of Robotics).
Moreover, since research and applications on assistive robots concern a very complex and sensitive human sphere, it is necessary that studies are complemented by a thorough analysis of ethical and legal aspects.

Organizers
a cura di: Scuola di Robotica

Amedeo Cesta, Research Director at CNR and Group Leader at ISTC
Matteo Cestari, CEO, Omitech
Antonio Sgorbissa, Associate Professor of Computer Science, UNIGE, DIBRIS
Gianmarco Veruggio, Senior Research Associate, CNR-IEIIT, Scuola di Robotica
Michela Bogliolo, Researcher, Scuola di Robotica

Format
There will be 5 talks (20 minutes plus 5 minutes for questions).

Program
Amedeo Cesta: SI-Robotics: integrating robots, sensors and AI for continuous assistance
Antonio Sgorbissa: CARESSES: a care robot for the elderly with cultural competence
Matteo Cestari: Interaction with a robot as a journey into human nature
Michela Bogliolo: Case studies: humanoid robots as caregivers, assistants, and collaborators in hospital and retirement home
Gianmarco Veruggio: Ethical, Legal and Societal Issue in Assistive Robotics