Research Themes

1. Shared autonomy for safe human–robot collaboration

We study shared-control strategies that combine human intent with robot-level safety constraints, including joint limits, workspace boundaries, and velocity bounds. The goal is to improve safety without reducing usability or task performance.

2. Redundancy and Constraint-Aware Control

Redundant robotic systems provide multiple options for executing the same task. We investigate how redundancy can be leveraged to enhance smoothness, safety margins, and robustness in human-centered manipulation tasks, with an emphasis on implementable control strategies and experimental comparison.

3. Haptic Interaction and Human Performance

Using force feedback and virtual constraints, we explore how haptic guidance influences task accuracy, consistency, and execution in assistive and training-oriented interaction scenarios. Emphasis is placed on controlled experimental protocols and quantitative task-level evaluation.

4. Modeling, Simulation, and Noise-Robust Dynamical Systems

We develop computational and simulation-based methods for robotic and dynamical systems operating under uncertainty and disturbances. This theme supports experimental robotics efforts in the lab by enabling modeling, validation, and controlled analysis of safety- and interaction-driven behaviors.

Lab Philosophy

The ARHI Lab emphasizes well-scoped, transparent research that can be meaningfully executed by undergraduate students. Projects are structured with clear milestones, measurable outcomes, and an emphasis on experimental validation or reproducible simulation. Rather than pursuing clinical or deployment-focused studies, the lab focuses on foundational methods and controlled experimental settings that support learning, rigor, and long-term sustainability.