An architecture for rehabilitation task practice in socially assistive human-robot interaction

Abstract

Abstract-New approaches to rehabilitation and health care have developed due to advances in technology and human robot interaction (HRI). Socially assistive robotics (SAR) is a subcategory of HRI that focuses on providing assistance through hands-off interactions. We have developed a SAR architecture that facilitates multiple task-oriented interactions between a user and a robot agent. It accommodates a variety of inputs, tasks, and interaction modalities that are used to provide relevant, real-time feedback to the participant. We have implemented the architecture and validated its technological feasibility in a small pilot study in which a SAR agent led three post-stroke individuals through an exercise scenario. In the following, we present our architecture design, and the results of the feasibility study.

Abstract Expressions of Affect

“…The bodily features used in affective interaction are isolated and exaggerated (Blow et al, 2006;Mead & Mataric, 2010;van Breemen, 2004). The advantage is that affective expressions can be conveyed, without being subjected to the full complexity of realistic mimicry (Duffy, 2008).…”

Space, speech, and gesture in human-robot interaction

“…Ideally, at any point in time and from any location in the room, A should be capable of estimating: [14] representing the space in which its gestures should occupy for B to see (from POS A ); 5. a gesture input level, GIL A -a gesture locus [14] representing the space in which it will likely perceive gestures produced by B (from POS A ).…”

Using socially assistive robotics to augment motor task performance in individuals post-stroke

“…The robot used in our experiments is the humanoid Bandit, developed at the USC Interaction Laboratory in conjunction with BlueSky Robotics (Figure 1). We have used Bandit in a variety of SAR interactions in the past [17] [18] [6]. In this study, Bandit was used to guide participants during the performance of a wire puzzle game ( Figure 2).…”

“…The software architecture of the SAR system was developed by Mead et al [6] and consists of a task manager, a task-oriented controller, and activity layers. The task manager is the entry point and main system client; it manages the robot behavior at the beginning of each interaction and during transitions between tasks.…”

“…Given the determination of a deficit and an associated rehabilitation regimen by a trained clinician, SAR can be used as a methodology and a therapeutic tool for the guidance and provision of an intervention. Our past work has evaluated the technological feasibility and acceptance of SAR robots in the post-stroke population [6] [7].…”