APRIL · Applications of Personal Robotics for Interaction and Learning

Applications of Personal Robotics for Interaction and Learning

The aim of personal robotics, as for companies like Aldebaran Robotics and for research at the Plymouth CRNS, is to design companion robots that can live and interact with human users in a very intuitive way. This requires that a robot develops a comprehensive understanding of human beings and appropriately adapts its behaviour to the context. More specifically, adaptive behaviours and learning are critical to accommodate unknown and changing environments, tasks and users, and developmental robotics is one of the most promising approaches to providing such behaviours. The APRIL EID objectives to achieve such an innovative scientific, technological and training vision are: I. To establish the leading EID centre for cross-disciplinary and cross-sectorial training in developmental and social cognitive systems, human-robot interaction and personal robotics. Training and research activities will be organized around the four pillars of Scientific Excellence, Technological Innovation, Future Leaders, and Entrepreneurship. II. To train doctoral candidates for the development of domain-specific knowledge and skills for an integrative approach to the investigation of five scientific and technological challenges in personal robotics: (i) Sensorimotor schema development; (ii) Emotional bootstrapping; (iii) Contingent interaction; (iv) Grounded communication; (v) Deep learning for abstract reasoning capabilities. III. To provide hands-on experience of robotics research through access to state of the art platforms including humanoid robots (NAO, Pepper, iCub, Baxter) and mobile robots (Scitos G5). IV. To use integrated pedagogical approaches allowing doctoral students to acquire multi-methodological and cross-discipline knowledge and skills in humanoid and mobile robotics, AI, machine learning, software and electronic engineering, control theory, and ethics and legal issues. V. To support doctoral candidates through an innovative Coaching Programme and an Individual Skills Development Plan based on the latest Vitae RDF Planner, to develop complementary transferrable skills and leadership skills and appropriate research career pathways, supporting the transition from taught students to independent researchers and future leaders. VI. To extend academic training and entrepreneurial skills with extended industrial research training experience at the Aldebaran Robotics industrial beneficiary site (18 months per fellow), and the additional research and secondment opportunities in the associates partners’ site in academia, industry and user groups in Europe, Japan and USA.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union