I work on Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms that improve the real-time perception, reasoning and expressive capabilities of embodied social agents. I also plan and conduct controlled and in-the-wild Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) studies mostly in assistive, education and entertainment domains.
A social robot that uses real-time multimodal information from a user and context information from a collaborative task to exhibit believable gaze behaviors. This work was tested both in the lab with adults and in a school environment with Children aged 10-12. *Best novel technology paper award at IROS 2019
Worked on a fast-paced keyword spotter for children aged 5-10. Then, created the artificial intelligence for a robot co-player that was initially unengaging but became engaging when we adapted its prosody to each child's speech. *Best technology paper award at HRI 2017
Links: Patent, HRI 2017, IVA 2016, WOCCI 2016
Built a custom digital table and implemented an adaptation of the Risk game. Established a set of guidelines for developing socially present agents and developed the autonomous behavior for a robot that plays Risk against three human players. *Best paper award at ACE 2012
Worked on the problem of using semi-situated crowdworkers to automatically extend a robot's dialog knowledge and enable it to express believable and appropriate verbal and nonverbal behaviors. Also developed a module that matches RFID tags with users detected on a Kinect camera.
Worked on several projects that use multimodal machine learning to recognize user states, such as their affect, engagement or uncertainty in a task. *10 year technical impact award at ICMI 2019
Links: ICMI 2019, ICMI workshop 2018, SocialCom 2012, HRI 2011, ICMI 2009
Compared anthropomorphic social robots with identical virtually embodied agents. Recently analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of social robots when compared to smart speakers.
Links: CHI 2020, HRI 2020, IVA 2019, CogSci 2019, CHI Workshop 2019, AAMAS 2008, MSc 2007
I have extensively worked on the topic of closing the loop from affective recognition to generating empathic behavior in robots.
Links: TIIS 2014, IJHR 2013, IJHCS 2013, HRI 2012, UMAP 2011, PALE 2011, AFFINE 2010, IVA 2010, HRPR 2010, JMUI 2010, AAMAS 2009, AFFINE 2009, ACII 2009, ROMAN 2008, AAMAS 2008
After the “novelty effect” people usually lose interest and change their attitude towards robots. One of my main long-term research goals is to successfully achieve long-term relationships between robots and humans.
Links: IDC 2016, AAAI 2015, IJSR 2014, ICSR 2012, , Mobile HCI 2010, ROMAN 2009, Bellagio 2008
Both in industry (Disney and Furhat Robotics) and in academia, I have designed and contributed to robotics software architectures that integrate perception, decision making and behavior generation modules.
Links: AAAI 2016, IVA 2014, github furhat C# interface