Design of a Human-Aware Navigation Scheme for a Robotic System
Internship Description:
Robotic systems come in a great variety of types and shapes (mobile
platforms, humanoids, vehicles, etc.). In all cases, they have to move to
perform whatever tasks have been assigned to them (pick an object, move to
this location, monitor that area, etc.). Motion is therefore a key issue
for robotic systems and it has been largely addressed in the past forty
years. Until recently, the focus was primarily to avoid collision with the
objects of the environment and to optimize a motion-related criterion
(travel distance, travel time, energy consumption, etc.).
Nowadays, robotic systems are increasingly moving among and interacting
with human beings. The presence of people has an impact on the way robots
should move: you do not move around a person the way you would around a
piece of furniture. In general, when one interacts with a human being (to
avoid him, to salute him, to pass him an object, etc.), one obeys a number
of rules that has to do with the notion of Personal Space.
These rules that fall under what anthropologists refer to as Proxemics [1]
must be identified and integrated in the navigation scheme of robotic
systems so that their behaviour resemble that of a person thus facilitating
the integration of robots in human-populated environments and their
acceptance.
The purpose of this internship is to design such a human-aware navigation
scheme. First, it will be necessary to identify the rules that should be
obeyed by the robotic system in a number of selected situations. Second,
these rules will be implemented into a given navigation scheme. The
navigation scheme proposed will be evaluated in simulation or, time
permitting, on a robotic wheelchair.
References:
[1] Edward T. Hall (1963). "A System for the Notation of Proxemic
Behaviour". American Anthropologist 65: 1003-1026.
[2] Steve Lavalle (2006). "Planning Algorithms". Cambridge University
Press. http://planning.cs.uiuc.edu.
As a general rule, I am looking for highly motivated candidates with a good
educational record, the ability to think independently and work
autonomously. If you are interested in this internship, please send me a
complete Curriculum Vitae (featuring your academic background with the
courses attended, the grades and the rankings obtained - very important),
plus any additional information you might find useful.
