Commentary on: "P&S Requirements for ePartner-supported Astronaut-Rover Teams during Planetary Surface Operations"

The article (Grant, Neerincx, and Wolff 2011) introduces some considerations taken from the experience of the authors participation in the ESA project called MECA (Mission Execution Crew Assistant). The idea of MECA is to form a network of agents (both human and software), in which each unit, called e-partner, is capable of detecting and influencing the physical, cognitive and affective state of its respective human users. The article describes the three stages along which the project evolves and presents a list of system requirements among which authors highlight those that can be classified under the label of Planning and Scheduling (P&S). In addition to the P&S requirements the most interesting contribution of the paper is probably the concept of e-partners and the description of the cognitive workload model on the base of which authors think to build the e-partner agent. We subdivide the commentary in different parts. We first offer a slightly different perspective with respect to the role of planning and scheduling, then sketch an architecture for using planning technology in continuous loop with the humans, and then we formulate some questions to corroborate debate at the workshop.http://www.congrex.nl/11c05/Papers/Grant_commentary.pd

Long-term Evaluation of a Mobile Remote Presence Robot for the Elderly

We are currently working on a project, named ExCITE, the goal of which is to intensively evaluate a tele-presence robot against a wide spectrum of requirements of the elderly. This work is at the intersection of two emerging fields, Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) and Ambient Assisted Living (AAL), and involves both long term and cross-cultural user evaluation

Into the Wild: Pushing a Telepresence Robot Outside the Lab

Most robotic systems are usually used and evaluated in laboratory setting for a limited period of time. The limitation of lab evaluation is that it does not take into account the different challenges imposed by the fielding of robotic solutions into real contexts. Our current work evaluates a robotic telepresence platform to be used with elderly people. This paper describes our progressive effort toward a comprehensive, ecological and longitudinal evaluation of such robots outside the lab. It first discusses some results from a twofold short term evaluation performed in Italy. Specifically we report results from both a usability assessment in laboratory and a subsequent study obtained by interviewing 44 healthcare workers as possible secondary users (people connecting to the robot) and 10 older adults as possible primary users (people receiving visits through the robot). It then describes a complete evaluation plan designed for a long term assessment to be applied "outside the lab" dwelling on the initial application of such methodology to test sites in Italy

Long-Term Evaluation of a Telepresence Robot for the Elderly: Methodology and Ecological Case Study

Telepresence robotic systems are proposed in different contexts and specifically in the area of social robotics for assisting older adults at home. Similarly to other robotic systems, such robots are often designed and then evaluated in laboratory settings for a limited period of time. Lab-based evaluations present limitations because they do not take into account the different challenges imposed by the fielding of robotic solutions into real contexts for longer periods. In order to perform long-term experiments in real ecological settings it is very important to define a structured approach to assess the impact of a prolonged and constant use of the telepresence robot. This paper proposes a methodology in the area of elderly people support, called MARTA, for M ultidimensional A ssessment of telepresence R obo T for older A dults. It introduces the main variables of interest as well as the instruments and administration timeline for assessing relevant changes that may occur over time. MARTA is also validated in a one year-long case study during which a telepresence robot, called Giraff, has been deployed and iteratively assessed. The paper also provides remarks on the technology readiness and suggestions for its improvements

Training Crisis Managers in Strategic Decision-Making

The goal of PANDORA is to apply state-of-the-art ICT technologies to build a learning environment for strategic crisis managers. We are currently refining a first version where training sessions are animated by reproducing realistic crisis events and fostering creative decision-making. Central to PANDORA is an original use of the timeline-based planning strategies used to diversify crisis scenarios by creating alternative training paths and to model trainees behavioral patterns for personalized training

Opening the PANDORA-BOX: Planning and Executing Timelines in a Training Environment

This paper introduces a novel use of timeline-based planning as the core element within a dynamic training environment designed for crisis managers. Training for crisis decision makers at the strategic level poses a number of challenges that range from the necessity to foster creative decision making to the need for the creation of engaging and realistic scenarios in support of experiential learning. This article describes our efforts to build an end-to-end system, called the PANDORA BOX, that helps the trainer to populate and deliver a continuous 4-5 hours training session encompassing exercises that encourage a group of decision makers to achieve joint decisions. Specifically the emphasis is given to (a) the timeline-based representation as the core component for creating training sessions and unifying different concepts of the PANDORA domain; (b) the combination of planning and execution functionalities required to maintain and dynamically adapt a "lesson plan" on the basis of both trainee-trainer interaction and individual behaviors and performance; (c) the importance of keeping the trainer in close control of the activity loop

AI and robotics to help older adults: Revisiting projects in search of lessons learned

Abstract This article is a retrospective overview of work performed in the domain of Active Assisted Living over a span of almost 18 years. The authors have been creating and refining artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics solutions to support older adults in maintaining their independence and improving their quality of life. The goal of this article is to identify strong features and general lessons learned from those experiences and conceive guidelines and new research directions for future deployment, also relying on an analysis of similar research efforts. The work considers key points that have contributed to increase the success of the innovative solutions grounding them on known technology acceptance models. The analysis is presented with a threefold perspective: A Technological vision illustrates the characteristics of the support systems to operate in a real environment with continuity, robustness, and safety; a Socio-Health perspective highlights the role of experts in the socio-assistance domain to provide contextualized and personalized help based on actual people's needs; finally, a Human dimension takes into account the personal aspects that influence the interaction with technology in the long term experience. The article promotes the crucial role of AI and robotics in ensuring intelligent and situated assistive behaviours. Finally, considering that the produced solutions are socio-technical systems, the article suggests a transdisciplinary approach in which different relevant disciplines merge together to have a complete, coordinated, and more informed vision of the problem

Psychological implications of domestic assistive technology for the elderly

The ROBOCARE Domestic Environment (RDE) is the result of a three-year project aimed at developing cognitive support technology for elderly people. Specifically, the domestic environment is equipped with sensors, intelligent software components and devices which cooperate to provide cognitive support to the assisted person. The ROBOCARE interaction capabilities have been concentrated in a robotic mediator who acts as the main communication channel between the users and the intelligent domestic environment. This paper presents an evaluation of elderly people\u27s perception of assistive robots and smart domotic environments. Results show how the acceptability of robotic devices in home settino does not depend only on the practical benefits they can provide, but also on complex relationships between the cognitive, affective and emotional components of people\u27s images of robot. Specially, we analyzes a number of evaluation criteria related to the robot\u27s aspect, the way in which it communicates with the user, and the perceived usefulness of its support services. Among these criteria, the paper proposes and reports an evaluation of how perceived frailty, with reference to both health in general and fear of cognitive weakening, more specifically, can influence the evaluation of a potential aid in everyday life, namely the robotic assistant. The paper also provides a discussion which can be useful for the design of future assistive agents and socially interactive robotic

Caring About the User\u27s View: The Joys and Sorrows of Experiments with People

Deploying AI, and specifically P&S, technology into the real world entails many stimulating problems for researchers and system designers. Various smart solutions have been produced both for specialized problems and, in fewer cases, for more general purpose domains. An important aspect which is fundamental for any successful application, and more specifically for those which address a broad audience, concerns the users\u27 perception and acceptance of technology. This issue is often either neglected or underestimated. We have been working for two years on the issue of importing experimental techniques from HCI and experimental psychology into smart system development. This approach has both pros - interesting features from the user perspective are discovered and can be used to bias design and research activities - and cons - experimenting with humans adds additional difficulty to the project, and applying a correct methodology is very time consuming. This paper describes a fielded experimental investigation of a fully implemented AI system named ROBO CARE . The system uses constraint-based scheduling technology to actively monitor a pattern of activities executed by an assisted person and uses detected temporal constraint violations to trigger meaningful and contextualized proactive interaction. Dialogue with the users is managed by a robotic mediator who acts as the main communication channel between the users and the intelligent domestic environment. The paper presents an evaluation of elderly people\u27s perception of the intelligent system, focusing on aspects related to the robot\u27s aspect, interaction modalities, content and timing of interaction, providing suggestions and hints for system designers

Enabling Social Interaction Through Embodiment in ExCITE

No abstract availableThe emerging demographic trends toward an aging population involve an unflagging research of ways of assisting elderly people to stay independent for as long as possible. This means to be active at home and in the labour market, to prevent social isolation and promote societal inclusion. Both ICT and robotics technologies can contribute to help achieving these goals. This paper introduces the aims of the Ambient Assisted Living project ExCITE whose main objective is to enhance a robotic platform for telepresence with features enabling social interaction from a domestic environment to the outside world. The whole ExCITE project uses a user-centered approach hence it evolves around an intensive evaluation to be performed in situ, on a PanEuropean scale. An existing prototype, called Giraff, is to be deployed to targeted end-users, and refined taking into account outcome of the evaluation. This paper introduces the objectives of ExCITE and offers a description of its initial activities particularly focused on the user evaluation