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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240725T140000
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DTSTAMP:20260420T100547
CREATED:20240820T182301Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240820T182301Z
UID:45095-1721916000-1721921400@coe.northeastern.edu
SUMMARY:Rui Lou PhD Dissertation Defense
DESCRIPTION:Announcing:\nPhD Dissertation Defense \nName:\nRui Luo \nTitle:\nShared Assistance Methods for Human-in-the-loop Robot Systems \nDate:\n7/25/2024 \nTime:\n2:00:00 PM \nLocation:\nEXP 701A. \nCommittee Members:\nProf. Taskin Padir (Advisor)\nProf. John Peter Whitney\nProf. Yanzhi Wang\nDr. Mark Zolotas \nAbstract:\nFully autonomous robot systems\, though highly desired\, face substantial theoretical and practical challenges when being deployed into a dynamic environment where human co-exists. To tackle this challenge\, this thesis investigates the concept of human-in-the-loop (HITL) systems\, which incorporate human input to enhance robot functionality. HITL systems offer a pragmatic alternative\, combining human versatility with robotic precision. \nThis research aims to address critical questions in one specific HITL system which  prioritizes the dominant role of human within the system\, positioning the robot primarily in an assistive capacity that adheres to human commands to facilitate the achievement of a shared goal. It explores two primary paradigms of shared assistance methods—Shared Control (SC) and Shared Autonomy (SA)—and discuss the system designs as well as specific algorithms to implement the three critical components in a HITL systems: human intention estimation\, modulation of human inputs and robot autonomy\, and the human-robot communication channel. \nDue to the variety of use cases and their specific challenges\, four distinct HITL systems are developed and analyzed to exemplify how shared assistance methods could be incorporated to assist human operators: an assistive wheelchair for indoor navigation\, a human-centered robot system design for industrial tasks\, a mobile bi-manual robot for tele-manipulation\, and a VR-based customizable shared control system for fine teleopeartion.  Although each system represents a comprehensive robotic solution\, the research contributions for each work vary. \nIn the assistive wheelchair navigation system\, the focus was on human intent estimation via low-throughput interface utilizing a recursive Bayesian filter\, with significant efforts dedicated to developing a real-time user interface serving as the communication channel. In the human-robot collaboration system for industrial setting\, the emphasis was on human state estimation through camera-based posture tracking and exploring the interplay between robot behavior and human ergonomics. For the two teleoperation systems\, the primary focus was on the real-time modulation of human inputs and robot autonomy to aid in achieving dexterous manipulation tasks. A novel VR-based user interface was developed to enable users to customize the level of robotic autonomous assistance. Each system was validated through a pilot study involving 10-20 human subjects\, accompanied by extensive data analysis to provide insights into designing HITL systems for various applications. \nIn conclusion\, this thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of HITL systems\, highlighting their potential to enhance human productivity\, ergonomics\, and quality of life in various applications through concrete examples. The integration of human intent estimation and real-time shared control methods into robotic systems demonstrates the feasibility and benefits of HITL approaches. Our extensive experimental analysis underscores the critical role of human feedback in designing practical HITL systems that can be deployed in real-world scenarios.
URL:https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/rui-lou-phd-dissertation-defense/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240725T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240725T170000
DTSTAMP:20260420T100547
CREATED:20240517T125021Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240603T191427Z
UID:44142-1721923200-1721926800@coe.northeastern.edu
SUMMARY:Mock Interview: CommLab Drop-In Workshops
DESCRIPTION:Join the CommLab any Thursday from 4-5pm ET\, we’ll delve into the intricacies of interviews\, unveiling effective preparation strategies for any interview scenario. Engage in an interactive setting as we dissect the overall interview experience\, discuss common interview scenarios\, and share insights on what to do during critical moments. Join this hybrid workshop series through Zoom.
URL:https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/mock-interview-commlab-drop-in-workshops/2024-07-25/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240725T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240725T180000
DTSTAMP:20260420T100547
CREATED:20240517T125712Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240701T135457Z
UID:43938-1721926800-1721930400@coe.northeastern.edu
SUMMARY:Poster Design and Presentation: CommLab Drop-In Workshops
DESCRIPTION:The CommLab will host drop-in workshops for poster design and presentation to focus on crafting the best visual communication of your research and telling your research story! We will discuss techniques and implement communication strategies to successfully showcase your work. No matter where you are in the process\, whether it is just in the idea phase or you are trying to polish your final poster\, we are happy to help you.  Join us any Thursday from 5-6pm\,  on Zoom.
URL:https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/poster-design-and-presentation-commlab-drop-in-workshops/2024-07-25/
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