Invited Speakers

Alin Albu-Schäffer

Head of the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Chair for Sensor Based Robotic Systems and Intelligent Assistance Systems at the Technical University of Munich (TUM)

• Title: To Be Announced

• Abstract: To Be Announced

Maya cakmak

Director of the Human-Centered Robotics Lab
Assistant Professor, Computer Science & Eng. Depart., University of Washington

• Title: Towards Assistive Care Robots in the Home

• Abstract:
  Robots that can assist with everyday tasks in the home have the potential to enable aging in place for older adults, increase independence for people with disabilities, and increase quality of life for all. Deploying robots in homes is, however, extremely challenging given the vast diversity of environments, tasks, and users in homes. In this talk I will talk about strategies we have pursued to enable home assistive robots in the near term, including: (1) customizing robots to the specific home/user, (2) having users in the loop rather than aim for full autonomy, and (3) structuring the environment to make it more robot-friendly. I will also share lessons learned from an interdisciplinary project where we deployed a mobile manipulator in the home of an older adult with severe motor impairments for a month, three consecutive summers.

Chienming Huang

Head of Intuitive Computing Laboratory -  Malone Center for Engineering in Healthcare Assistant Professor, Dept. of Computer Science,  Johns Hopkins University

• Title: Low Technology Adoption by Older Adults: Now What?

• Abstract: In this talk, I will present three opportunities, identified through a set of field studies, to address the challenges of low technology adoption by older adults. I will also discuss lessons learned from our field studies and needs for new research tools to support empirically grounded technology innovation for older adults. I hope the talk would serve as a starting point for continued discussion and collaboration for developing older adults-centered AI technologies.

Serena Ivaldi

Tenured Research Scientist at INRIA Nancy Grand-Est and LORIA

• Title: Improving ergonomics with humanoid technologies and exoskeletons

• Abstract:
  In this talk, I will present our methodology for evaluating passive exoskeletons for postural support at work during strenuous tasks that are possible risk of musculoskeletal disorders and impact the ageing workforce. I will present results in different use cases in industry and hospitals. Then I will move to active exoskeletons, and the challenges in assisting humans during heavy load manipulation. I will present the results of our human-robot interaction studies involving cobots, as proxy towards studying physical interaction with exoskeletons, to investigate how humans adapt to robots in physical collaboration. Finally, I will present our software tools to inform humans about the ergonomics of their movement, which involve intuitive visualisation tools and Digital Human Models. 

Bahar Irfan

Postdoctoral Researcher and Digital Futures Fellow at KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) 

• Title: Co-Designing Companion Robots for Older Adults Using Large Language Models: Challenges and Insights 

• Abstract:
  There is a growing demand for technology that can improve the quality of life for older adults. Companion robots are aimed at addressing this need by providing service and social assistance in their daily life. To ensure that these robots meet the needs and preferences of older adults, they should be at the forefront of the design process, which is known as participatory design (or co-design). Companion robots should also offer effortless ways of interaction, without causing any obstacles for older adults. One such approach is through natural language communication, which can be achieved through the use of Large Language Models (LLMs). These models enable flexible and unrestricted dialogue, making them promising solutions. In line with this, we designed a personalized companion robot using the Furhat robot with GPT-3.5, and iteratively evaluated it in two participatory design studies involving 34 older adults. Our studies revealed several challenges that caused frustration, confusion, and worry in older adults due to disruptions in the interaction. Based on these findings, this talk offers guidelines for developing companion robots with LLMs that can integrate seamlessly into the everyday lives of older adults.

Matteo Laffranchi / Nicolò Boccardo / Michele Canepa 

Coordinator of Robotics at Rehab Technologies Lab, Italian Institute of Technology (IIT)

• Title: Empowering Aging Populations: User-Centered Geriatronics Development;

• Abstract: We are going to offer a presentation on the user-centered design approach combined with the current technologies which can transform the landscape of geriatronics. As the aging population continues to grow worldwide, there is an increasing demand for intelligent and assistive technologies to enhance the quality of life for older adults. Therefore, the combinations of the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics with a human-centric philosophy improves the efficacy in creating cutting-edge solutions for the elderly, amputees, and more generally speaking impaired people. Attendees can expect to gain valuable insights into how to seamlessly integrates AI, robotics, and human-machine interaction to empower seniors in their daily lives.

Key topics to be covered during the presentation include:
(I) Empathy-Driven Innovation: Discover how the Rehab Technologies Lab prioritizes patients; needs, fostering a profound understanding of their challenges across various life domains. (ii) Advanced AI and Robotics Integration: Explore the lab's innovative AI algorithms and robotic systems, designed to enhance user autonomy and independence through tasks like mobility support, healthcare monitoring, and social interaction. (iii)  Real-world Impact: Gain insights into practical applications, including successful case studies and pilot programs, demonstrating the effectiveness of user-centered solutions.

Luka PeterNEL

Head of Delft Haptics Laboratory
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Cognitive Robotics, Delft University of Technology

• Title: Remote Robot Control and Teaching for Physically Assistive Skills

• Abstract: 

The first part of the talk will present our methods that enable operators to teach and correct physically assistive skills of remote robots. The approach is based on online robot learning techniques and the teleimpedance principle where the operator can control the physical interaction properties of the remote robot in real-time. To this end, we designed hand- and foot-operated impedance-command interfaces that transfer impedance-regulation skills required for the robot to execute complex tasks in unstructured and unpredictable environments. We will examine applications of the proposed methods in various common household tasks that relate to elderly care such as opening a microwave door, emptying a dishwasher, etc. The second part of the talk will present a remote physiotherapy method where the treatment is guided by a biomechanical model integrated into the assistive robot’s real-time control loop. To enable such integration, we developed a novel approach called a “strain map” that abstracts complex biomechanical model data related to tissue functions into an intuitive map that can be used efficiently by the real-time robot controller and is also visually interpretable by therapists.

Jim Tørresen

Head of Robotics and Intelligent Systems (ROBIN)
Professor of Robotics & Intelligent Systems, Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo 

• Title: Robots-assistants that Care about Privacy, Security and Safety

• Abstract:  
  Due to the significant increase in the proportion of older people in the world and the shortage of health care resources, a rising challenge is how to incorporate science and technology to find efficient solutions for health monitoring and care for independent living for older people. We are involved in addressing the challenge through several past and ongoing Research Council of Norway funded projects. 

Many systems for the elderly have been designed, but few have been adopted on a large scale. We think a reason for this could be the limited user involvement and few iterations of user testing. Therefore, we have focused specifically on developing our systems with a large degree of user participation. Further, in the Vulnerability in the Robot Society (VIROS) project, we target through collaboration with colleagues from law to in parallel developing technology and proposals for regulatory measures to reduce vulnerabilities regarding robotics. The focus is on privacy, security and safety, particularly in healthcare contexts. In this keynote, three important aspects of the projects will be introduced including the control of the mobile robot, the sensing process and devices, and design and privacy issues. In addition, the talk will cover how psychology-inspired computing can enhance robot assistants. We are currently studying that in the PIRC - Predictive and Intuitive Robot Companion project.

Samuel Olatunji

Postdoctoral research associate at the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

• Title: Designing Robots to Support Health & Wellness for Older Adults

• Abstract: 

Technology advances have the potential to support healthy aging but often technologies are not designed with consideration for the interests, capabilities, limitations, needs, and preferences of older adults.  My research program is specifically oriented toward developing a fundamental understanding of aging and bringing that knowledge to bear on robot design for the support of health, enjoyment, quality of life, and safety of everyday activities of older adults, with and without cognitive, perceptual, or mobility disabilities.  I will provide examples of our research focused on social and assistive robots supporting different activities in the home including cognitive and physical support as well as telehealth applications.  I will discuss how robots can enable autonomy and independence for older adults.