Towards Tutoring an Interactive Robot

Wrede B, Rohlfing K, Spexard TP, Fritsch J. Towards tutoring an interactive robot. In: Hackel M, ed. Humanoid Robots, Human-like Machines. ARS; 2007: 601-612.Many classical approaches developed so far for learning in a human-robot interaction setting have focussed on rather low level motor learning by imitation. Some doubts, however, have been casted on whether with this approach higher level functioning will be achieved. Higher level processes include, for example, the cognitive capability to assign meaning to actions in order to learn from the tutor. Such capabilities involve that an agent not only needs to be able to mimic the motoric movement of the action performed by the tutor. Rather, it understands the constraints, the means and the goal(s) of an action in the course of its learning process. Further support for this hypothesis comes from parent-infant instructions where it has been observed that parents are very sensitive and adaptive tutors who modify their behavior to the cognitive needs of their infant. Based on these insights, we have started our research agenda on analyzing and modeling learning in a communicative situation by analyzing parent-infant instruction scenarios with automatic methods. Results confirm the well known observation that parents modify their behavior when interacting with their infant. We assume that these modifications do not only serve to keep the infant’s attention but do indeed help the infant to understand the actual goal of an action including relevant information such as constraints and means by enabling it to structure the action into smaller, meaningful chunks. We were able to determine first objective measurements from video as well as audio streams that can serve as cues for this information in order to facilitate learning of actions

Künstliche Gesichtspartie und Verfahren zum Bewegen der künstlichen Gesichtspartie

Hegel F, Hackel M, Wrede B, Sagerer G. Künstliche Gesichtspartie und Verfahren zum Bewegen der künstlichen Gesichtspartie. 2011.Die vorliegende Patentanmeldung befasst sich mit einer künstlichen Gesichtspartie, insbesondere für einen humanoiden Roboter. Die künstliche Gesichtspartie umfasst ein sichtbares Gesichtspartieteil (102; 112, 122) mit zumindest einem magnetisch wirksamen Abschnitt (103; 113, 123), einen Antriebsmagneten (104; 114, 115), und einen Aktuator, der mit dem Antriebsmagnet wirkgekoppelt und eingerichtet und konfiguriert ist, den Antriebsmagnet (104; 114, 115) zu bewegen. Eine Bewegung des Antriebsmagnets (104; 114, 115) bewirkt durch Magnetfeldwechselwirkung eine Bewegung des magnetisch wirksamen Abschnitts (103; 113, 123). Bei einer alternativen Ausführungsform ist ein Magnet in dem Gesichtspartieteil (102; 112, 122) und ein magnetisch wirksamer Abschnitt auf der Antriebsseite vorgesehen. Die vorliegende Patentanmeldung betrifft auch ein Verfahren zum Bewegen einer künstlichen Gesichtspartie

A Humanoid Robot Platform Suitable for Studying Embodied Interaction

Hackel M, Schwope S, Fritsch J, Wrede B, Sagerer G. A Humanoid Robot Platform Suitable for Studying Embodied Interaction. In: Proc. IEEE/RSJ Int. Conf. on Intelligent Robots and Systems. Edmonton, Canada: IEEE; 2005: 56-61.This paper presents the humanoid robot BARTHOC who has been developed to study human-robot interaction (HRI). The main focus of BARTHOC’s design was to realize the expression and behavior of the robot to be as human-like as possible. This allows to apply the platform to manifold research and demonstration areas. With his human-like look and mimic possibilities he differs from other platforms like ASIMO or QRIO, and enables experiments even close to Mori’s ‘uncanny valley’. The paper describes details of the mechanical and electrical design of BARTHOC together with its PC control interface. Through its humanoid appearance, it can imitate human behavior with its soft- and hardware. Currently, several components for HRI on a mobile robot platform are being ported to BARTHOC. Starting with these components, the robot’s human-like appearance will enable us to study embodied interaction and to explore theories of human intelligence

Designing a sociable humanoid robot for interdisciplinary research

Hackel M, Schwope S, Fritsch J, Wrede B, Sagerer G. Designing a sociable humanoid robot for interdisciplinary research. In: Advanced Robotics. Advanced Robotics. Vol 20. VSP BV; 2006: 1219-1235.This paper presents the humanoid robot BARTHOC and the smaller, but system-equal twin, BARTHOC Junior. Both robots have been developed to study human-robot interaction. The main focus of BARTHOC's design was to realize the expression and behavior of the robot to be as human-like as possible. This allows us to apply the platform to manifold research and demonstration areas. With its human-like look and mimic possibilities it differs from other platforms like ASIMO or QRIO and enables experiments even close to Mori's 'uncanny valley'. The paper describes details of the mechanical and electrical design of BARTHOC together with its PC control interface and an overview of the interaction architecture. Its humanoid appearance allows limited imitation of human behavior. The basic interaction software running on BARTHOC has been completely ported from a mobile robot except for some functionalities that could not be used due to hardware differences such as the lack of mobility. Based on these components, the robot's human-like appearance will enable us to study embodied interaction and to explore theories of human intelligence

Designing a Sociable Humanoid Robot for Interdisciplinary Research

This paper presents the humanoid robot BARTHOC and the smaller, but system equal twin BARTHOC Junior. Both robots have been developed to study human-robot interaction (HRI). The main focus of BARTHOC’s design was to realize the expression and behavior of the robot to be as human-like as possible. This allows to apply the platform to manifold research and demonstration areas. With its human-like look and mimic possibilities it differs from other platforms like ASIMO or QRIO, and enables experiments even close to Mori’s ‘uncanny valley’. The paper describes details of the mechanical and electrical design of BARTHOC together with its PC control interface and an overview of the interaction architecture. Its humanoid appearance allows limited imitation of human behavior. The basic interaction software running on BARTHCO as been completely ported from a mobile robot except for some functionalities that could not be used due to hardware differences such as the lack of mobility. Based on these components, the robot’s human-like appearance will enable us to study embodied interaction and to explore theories of human intelligence. keywords: Humanoid Robot, Human-Robot Interaction, Embodied Communication.

The Bielefeld Anthropomorphic Robot Head "Flobi"

Lütkebohle I, Hegel F, Schulz S, et al. The Bielefeld Anthropomorphic Robot Head "Flobi". In: 2010 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. IEEE; 2010: 3384-3391