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RESEARCH ACTIVITY |
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Topics |
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In the growing area of human-centered application for robotic manipulators, human–robot interaction (HRI) poses new challenges for researchers and manufacturers in robotics. Physical HRI (pHRI) can be accepted only when safety and dependability issues are addressed as the central criteria for all the phases of design and control of robots for anthropic environments, while cognitive HRI (cHRI) is also relevant, due to the relationships that different people can have with robots.
My research contributions are related to modelling and control of robot manipulators for HRI. The framework is provided by the research activities carried out in the European project PHRIENDS (www.phriends.eu). Results include proper modelling for simple geometric computation and real-time multiple-point control, for choosing an arbitrary control point of the robot, and controlling it on suitable trajectories for avoiding collisions and scaring motion. Evaluations which are proper of cHRI are also considered, which are complementary to those introduced in a pHRI-related framework. The introduced tools have been implemented on real robot manipulators, both industrial and advanced, for real-time operation.
Virtual Reality (VR) for facing HRI from a cognitive point of view is addressed too. The “comfort” of the user, which is an important aspect from a cognitive viewpoint, provides an additional indicator for the evaluation of HRI system.
Experimental results have been provided, related to interaction with: 1) the DLR Justin manipulator in the framework of safe planning and collision management tactics in PHRIENDS, 2) an industrial robot arm for human–robot cooperation, 3) a wheelchair-mounted manipulator in a virtual environment for cognitive evaluation on “perceived” safety and comfort for the users.
I am also interested in redundant robot manipulators control for service robotics and in robotics for factory automation.
For publications click here
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Past and present projects |
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Italian Regional Project PAVA
EURON–II Prospective Research Project PHRIDOM
EURON–II Research Atelier ETHICBOTS
EU FP6 STReP PHRIENDS IST- 045359
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Research connections |
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Gruppo di ricerca in Cibernetica, Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, Università di Napoli Federico II, I
NCLab, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione e Ingegneria Elettrica, Università di Salerno, I
PHRIDOM/PHRIENDS consortia, EU
Institut für Robotik und Mechatronik, DLR Oberpfaffenhofen, D
Dipartimento di Progettazione e Gestione Industriale, Università di Napoli Federico II, I
Robotics Lab, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, E
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OTHER |
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Teaching |
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Teaching assistant for the classes of "Robot Control" since 2007 and "Elements of Industrial Robotics" since 2008, Prof. B. Siciliano, School of Engineering, University of Napoli Federico II
Co-advisor for more than 10 M.Sc and B.Sc. theses
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