Lecture Slides Flashcards
Joseph F. Engelberer
American engineer and entrepreneur
Father of robotics
Co-founded the first robotics company and developed the first commercially successful robot (Unimate), which was a robotic arm designed for tasks like handling hot metals and performing repetitive tasks in industrial settings
Rossum’s Universal Robots
Sci-fi play written by Czech playwright Karel Capek that premiered in 1920 that introduced the word robot to the world
Set in a future where a company, Rossum’s Universal Robots, creates humanoid robots designed to serve humans but that eventually rebel
The word robot comes from the Czech word “robota” meaning forced labour or drudgery
Alan Turing
British mathematician, logician and computer scientists, widely regarded as one of the pioneers of modern computing and artificial intelligence
Turing Test
A hypothetical experiment to determine a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour indistinguishable from that of a human
If the judge cannot reliably distinguish the machine’s responses from the human’s, the machine is said to have passed the Turing Test and demonstrated a form of artificial intelligence
Mixed Traffic
Traditional human-driven vehicles and self-driving cars sharing the same roads
Raises challenges related to safety, communication, and regulations due to the different behaviours and capabilities of the two groups
Self-driving cars are strict rule-followers with “optimising” driving-styles, while human drivers are flexible rule-benders with “satisficing” driving-styles
Principle of Unnecessary Risk
if humans being replaced by robots leads to better outcomes for all people, there is an ethical obligation to carry out the replacement
Ethics Settings
the particular settings of a robot in regards to ethics, such as those of a self-driving car in event of an accident
“Clever” Utilitarian Perspective on Ethics Settings
goal of cars should be to protect the buyersm not minimise overall harm, since self-driving cars are likely to minimise harm anyway and protecting the buyers will ensure more widespread use
Kant and Germany’s Regulation on Self-Driving Cars
in the event of unavoidable accidents, all classification of people based on their personal characteristics is prohibited
Types of Actors in Technological Contexts
technology developers and producers
technology users
technology regulators
Types of means
Formal means (legislation and standardisation)
Financial means (investments, subsidies)
Relations with others (press)
Knowledge (expertise, access to information)
Public actions (boycot, propaganda)
Use (purchase)
Categories of factors driving
- Technological
- Ecological
- Economic
- Political
- Socio-cultural
- Demographic
Three Types of Perspectives on Technologies
- User Perspective - interaction, experience, adoption
- Technical Perspectives - opportunities and challenges
- Societal perspective - societal challenge, impact
K*SERA Project
research initiative funded by the EU with the objective of creating a socially assistive robot designed to support elderly individuals, particularly those with COPD, in their daily activities, care requirements, and self-management of their condition
Guardian Robot
focused on providing assistance and support for frail elderly individuals and their caregivers through a user-friendly, socially intelligent robot with features like medication reminders, well-being monitoring, and an accessible app interface
Ageing Society
Life expectancy is increasing
Support ratios will also decrease from 1:5 in 2000 to 1:2 in 2050
Problems with Old Age
Reduced mobility
Social isolation
Forgetfulness
Irregular eating and/or drinking
Talking about/asking the same things
Fear of asking/doing certain things
Medical Problems that Come with Old Age
Cardio-vascular diseases
Diabetes
COPD
Dementia
Altzheimer
How New Technologies can Reduce Healthcare Costs
Lowering hospital usage and admissions
Offering the opportunity for tele visits as an alternative to face-to-face visits
Improving quality of healthcare offered to patients in remote locations (equality of patients)
Innovation is Socially-Assistive Robots
Supporting the human caregiver
Medical compliance - ensures that treatment plans are strictly followed
Assessing the need for medical care
Telecare with the robot
Indicating cognitive deterioration
Physical training
Moore’s Law
Observation and prediction by Gordon Moore that states that the number of transistors that can be placed on an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years, whilst the cost per transistor decreases
This growth has led to consistent advancements in technology, such as faster and more capable microprocessors, and has been a driving force behind the rapid development of the electronics industry
Nowawdays, starting to not hold true anymore as a number of constraints have begun to limit the development of chips
Components of Cyber Physical Systems
a physical part, interfaces with sensors and actuators, and the cyber part that is connected to a network
Superhuman precision in surgery
Minimally invasive surgery - surgical approach allowing medical professionals to perform various procedures with smaller incisions
Eye surgery - robots designed for retinal surgery aid surgeons in making precise incisions and adjustments
Microsurgery - specialised microsurgical instruments with fine tips and high precisions have been developed for work on miniscule structures with exceptional precision
Bone robotics - robotic systems used to enhance the precision of bone cuts and implant placement
Four University Generations
traditional teaching-focused institutions of the first generation
followed by research-oriented universities in the second generation
then a third generation emphasizing innovation and entrepreneurship
and finally, a fourth generation marked by digital and global connectivity, online learning, and lifelong education
Organised Serendipity
a combination of the idea of serendipity (unexpected and fortunate discoveries or insights) with a deliberate and structured approach to creating opportunities for such discoveries
involves a deliberate effort to create conditions conducive to serendipitous events
e.g., designing spaces, fostering collaborations, encouraging exploration and experimentation
Waterfall Method
a sequential software development approach in which the project is divided into distinct, non-overlapping phases, with each phase dependent on the deliverables of the previous one, and changes or revisions are difficult to implement once a phase is completed
Six Stages of the Waterfall Method
- Requirements gathering
- System design
- Implementation
- Testing
- Deployment
- Maintenance and Support
User-Centered Design
iterative design approach focused on creating products or systems that prioritise the needs and preferences of end-users, resulting in superior user experience
UCD Principles
base all work on empirical measurement and testing - don’t assume, get information from users
get input early and often
UCD Cycle
- Investigate - collect data on users’ wants, needs and experiences
- Analyse - extract insights from user research
- Ideate - translate insights into ideas for new products/features
- Create - prototype or implement your idea
Agile Methodology
iterative and incremental approach to software development
prioritizes customer collaboration and adaptability to changing requirements
the delivery of functional software is conducted in short, incremental cycles known as sprints
Design Thinking
using design as a means for research/insight, not just an end in itself
Participatory approaches
involving users in the design process
Conceptual vs Detailed Design
Conceptual design revolves around making sure you are addressing user needs
Detailed design revolves around ensuring that you are creating an easy to use, efficient and robust product
Paper Prototype
Low-fidelity, hand-drawn or printed representation of a user interface or product design, used for early-stage usability testing and design iteration
Wireframe
Visual representation or skeletal outline of a web page, app screen, or user interface, typically created using simple shapes, liens and placeholders to depict the layout and structure of the design without detailed graphics or content
Identifying requirements for social robots
Who is the system for (personas, user needs)?
Who will benefit from the system (primary/secondary/tertiary users)?
What will the system do (functional requirements)?
What environment will the system work in?
How can the system be evaluated?
What are the system’s ethical requirements (safety/privacy/user support)?
Some Problems to be Solved in Social Robotics
domestic environments are cluttered and changing so conventional navigation does not work
understanding people’s intentions
humanoid robots may fall and hurt users
robots may have short battery life, no power autonomy, sensors that are difficult to interpret while moving, and poor estimation of change in position over time (odometry)
Toools for User Experiences
Personas to document people
Scenarios/Use cases to represent situations
Journeys, storyboards, flowcharts, heat maps, charts to represents activities and processes
Journey
a visual or narrative representation of a user’s interactions, experiences, and emotions while engaging with a product or service from start to finish
Storyboard
a series of visual sketches or panels used to illustrate the user’s journey and interactions with a digital product
Flowchart
a visual diagram that depicts the logical sequence of steps or interactions within a user interface or system
Mental Models
the cognitive representations and expectations that humans form about a robot’s capabilities, behaviors, and responses, influencing their interactions and communication with the robot
Theory of Mind - Mental Model
Common sense model of human behaviour which allows us to automatically attribute beliefs, goals, and mental states to our human co-actors
Simulation theory - Mental Model
Observer uses own action system to predict the mental processes and actions of others
Importance of Mental Models
allow us to accurately predict robot behaviours if our mental model is correct
Consequences of robot providing no or wrong social cues
No social cues - robot seen as unpredictable, humans have a cautious response
Wrong social cues - the prediction will be wrong, potentially leading to uncanniness
Braitenberg’s Vehicles
hypothetical, simple, and abstract vehicles with sensor-motor connections that with their minimal sensory and motor components, displayed intricate behaviours to light
notable since it showed how humans instictively anthropomorphise machines, attributing emotions and intentions to their movements
some responses seemed to show fear whilst others aggression
Geminoid DK
Android/humanoid robot developed in Japan that was made to resemble an individual from Denmark (hence DK)
Has remarkable human-like appearance and movements, replicating the appearance and expressions of real individuals
Uncanny Valley Graph
A hypothetical dip or valley in the emotional response that humans have to robots or animated characters that closely resemble humans but are not quite convincingly human like
X-axis is degree of human likeness, whilst y-axis is familiarity/human response to the robot
Ways in which robots can interpret gaze cues
- Face tracking
Locating and following a person’s face in real-time as they move
Uses facial feature detection (like eyes, nose, mouth) and tracking algorithms
Helps robots time their behaviour, determine what a person is looking at, and facilitate understanding and user acceptance
- Head Pose Estimation
Determining the orientation or pose of a person’s head in three-dimensional space
Also relies on facial features like eyes, nose and mouth to estimate 3D pose of head
Good turn-yield
speaker stops and looks at person receiving the turn
Good turn-take
listener waits for silence and gaze cue
Turn-Take Behaviours
- Conservative:
Waiting for a pause or completion of the current speaker’s turn before taking one’s turn to speak
- Asserting:
Taking one’s turn to speak without waiting for a clear pause or completion of the current speaker’s statement
- Interrupting:
Forcefully or abruptly taking one’s turn to speak while someone else is still talking
Personal space
a region surrounding a person, but optimal location depends on environment and activity
In crowded environments, robot must stay clear of personal space and avoid crossing in-between groups of people
Smart home
a residence that uses internet-connected devices to enable the remote monitoring and management of appliances and systems
Features of Smart Homes
Smart door locks
Security cameras
Security systems
Smart thermometers
Smart ventilation
Lighting control system
Smart bathroom
Remote control doors
Garage protection systems
Smart appliances (e.g., fridge keeping track of groceries)
Environmental sensors (air humidity, air pollutant levels)
Health monitoring - heartbeat rate, blood oxygen level
Fall detection - smart carpet tiles, video surveillance
Aims of Smart Homes
Automation for comfort
Safety and security
Independent living
Communication
Multi-functionality
Domotica
another term for home automation or smart home technology
use of integrated electronic and digital systems to automate and control various aspects of a household or building
Actuators Commonly Found in Smart Houses
Remotely operated light switches
Light patterns
Climate control
TV, printer
Automatic window and door openers
Generic actuators for home appliances
Ubiquitous computing
the method of enhancing computer use by making many computers available throughout the physical environment, but making them effectively invisible to the user
Technology Acceptance Model
theoretical framework that explains how users’ perceptions and attitudes toward a technology’s ease of use and perceived usefulness influence their intention to adopt and use the technology
thus, its main two components are the technology’s perceived usefulness and its perceived ease of use
Perceived Usefulness
degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would enhance their daily performance
Perceived Ease-of-use
degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would be free from effort
Main components of UTAUT Model
Performance Expectancy
Effort Expectancy
Social Influence
Facilitating Conditions
Intention to use
Use
Almere Model
Perceived Adaptivity
Anxiety
Social Presence
Perceived Sociability
Perceived Usefulness
Perceived Ease of Use
Perceived Enjoyment
Trust
Social Influence
Facilitating Conditions
Intention to Use
Use
Almere Model vs UTAUT Model
UTAUT model is a widely recognised and comprehensive model for explaining technology adoption
Almere model is more context-specific, and focuses on the adoption of products in the healthcare industry by elderly people or other valid members of the target market
Some Questionnaires for Measuring Robot-related Psychological Constructs
Emotional well-being questionnaires
Game Experience Questionnaire
Goodspeed Questionnaire
Robotic Social Attributes Scale
Evaluation Metrics
- Performance
- User Satisfaction, Usability and Experience
Instruments for Robot Research
Questionnaires, interviews, observations, and the robot itself (through interaction)
