Invited Speakers

Professor, Sensory-motor systems, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland (Creator of Cybathlon)  

• Title: Soft Exosuits for the Elderly

• Abstract: TBD

Prof. Neurological Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Technology, Research Group Rehabilitation Research (RERE), Brubotics Rehabilitation Research Center, Vrije University of Brussel, Belgium

• Title: Exoskeletons for augmentation of older adults

• Abstract: In recent years, lower-limb exoskeletons (LLEs) have moved beyond the field of gait rehabilitation, demonstrating their potential as a tool to promote Healthy Aging. Healthy Aging is defined by the WHO as the process of acquiring and maintaining the functional ability that promotes well-being in older age. This functional ability is interconnected with a person’s intrinsic capacity (e.g., muscle strength, balance, etc.), as well as with the environment in which people live and interact. Within this framework, LLEs hold the promise to act as an assessment tool, able to detect decreased levels of intrinsic capacity, and as an augmentation tool, enhancing/maintaining one’s functional ability. In accordance with the co-design approach, it is important to include possible end-users prior to the development of technology. By doing so, we can identify user needs and requirements and incorporate them into the device. In this presentation, background literature and insights from stroke survivors on the needs and requirements of LLEs that can be implemented in a home environment were presented.

Assistant Professor of Robotics and Automation, University of Naples Federico II

• Title:  Human-Robot Interaction for Assistive Tasks

• Abstract: Human-robot interaction, collaboration, and role adaptation during human-robot cooperation are characterized by different aspects that go from the body to the robot's brain, facilitated through communication interfaces. Shared autonomy bridges the gap between teleoperated robotics and full autonomy. By automating specific tasks while keeping humans in the loop, shared autonomy can enhance the safety and productivity of individuals including workers, users, and patients, while providing operators with the ability to intervene when necessary. In this contest, robot design is fundamental to enhance efficiency and safety. In this talk, Prof. Ficuciello will illustrate recent research results in this direction achieved @ICAROS Center (Interdepartmental Center for Advances in Robotic Surgery) and B2R Lab (Biomimetic and Biohybrid Robotics Laboratory)

Lab. advancing collaborative robot behaviours in pHRI (CoBoTaT) Department for Automation, Biocybernetics and Robotics Jožef Stefan Institute, Slovenia

• Title: The Power of Two: Learning from Human Dyads to Enhance Robotic Elderly Care

• Abstract: In this talk, I will focus on enhancing human-robot collaboration by studying human dyads in shared workspaces. The interaction between humans and robots in these environments presents several challenges that need to be addressed to optimize their collaboration. Investigating human dyads in workspaces offers a valuable method for understanding and improving human-robot interaction. By examining the dynamics of human dyads and identifying the factors that influence their collaboration, we can develop effective strategies to enhance human-robot teamwork. This talk will provide an overview of my current research on human dyads in workspaces and highlight how this approach can significantly improve human-robot collaboration.

Reader in Robotics at the Department of Engineering and Design, University of Sussex, United Kingdom

• Title: Towards personalized assistance: online identification of human motor control and versatile robot control

• Abstract: A robot can provide suitable assistance to a human user, by finding a set of parameters that are personalized according to their motor control. In this talk, I will introduce our attempt to achieve this objective, by firstly providing a general model of physical human-robot interaction, then developing algorithms to estimate human motor control parameters, and finally designing robot controllers according to requirements in various applications. Open research problems and ongoing works will be also discussed.