Funding (2011): NSF (1059362): “II-New: Motion Grammar Laboratory”
II-New: Motion Grammar Laboratory (Stillman, Essa, Egerstadt, Christensen, Ueda) Division of Computer and Network Systems Instrumentation Grant.
An anthropomorphic robot arm and a human capture system enable the autonomous performance of assembly tasks with significant uncertainty in problem specifications and environments. This line of work is investigated through sequences of manipulation actions where the guarantee of the completion of task-level objectives is rooted in the discovery of the semantic structure of human manipulation. New research directions in anthropomorphic robotics are explored including programming by demonstration, activity recognition, control and estimation and planning.
The motion grammar laboratory infrastructure allows a great opportunity for research and education. New classroom experiences for undergraduates and graduates provide practical experience in robot human interaction and activity process sharing. This opens possibilities for human training and rehabilitation, as well as assistive personal robotic, and opens the door to a host of technological innovations.