This course aims to introduce various aspects of interaction and collaboration with and between autonomous or robotic systems, including also visualization techniques and tangible interfaces as central topics. It will be given in a combination of theoretical lecture session meetings and project work, where a project topic close to the own research area can be chosen. The theoretical lecture sessions will provide a general introduction to Human Robot Interaction (where Robot can mean any kind of agent or system connected to the WASP areas) and collaboration, as well as deeper insights into dialogue systems, tangible interfaces, and visualization techniques. While referred to as “theoretical”, also in these sessions hands-on exercises are planned. The course is suggested as suitable across all WASP areas, as it is assumed that most of the outcomes of the work done in WASP would not make sense in a vacuum, i.e. without considering their use and users.
Course type:
- AS track: elective
- AI track: elective
- Joint curriculum: advanced
Time: Given odd years from 2023, Spring
Teachers: Elin Anna Topp (LU), Gabriel Skantze (KTH), Ingrid Hotz (LiU), Morten Fjeld (CTH)
Examiner: Elin Anna Topp (LU)
The participants are assumed to have a background in mathematics corresponding to the contents of the WASP-course “Mathematics for Machine Learning”. Basic programming and software engineering experience is required, and the students should be familiar with Robot Operating Systems on a conceptual level.
After completing the course, the student should be able to:
- Explain the different roles and levels of system understanding needed for humans that interact with robots / (autonomous) systems
- Discuss the benefits and issues of different modalities commonly used in interaction with robotic and other systems
- Set up a simple interactive system (e.g. dialogue, person tracker) based on existing off-the-shelf components
- Explain and discuss the challenges in building genuinely interactive / collaborative systems
- Explain basic principles for interaction / collaboration between agents (multi-agent systems)
- Explain (and use at least some) approaches to visualisation for monitoring and control of (semi-) autonomous systems
- Set up and use visualisation tools and techniques for interaction with decision support tools
- Use simulation / visualisation tools for research / studies involving interaction with humans
The course will be given in three meetings / modules:
- Interaction & Collaboration: General intro, verbal interaction
- General introduction to central aspects of interaction and collaboration with autonomous systems, aspects of multi-agent systems / collaborative systems
- Dialog systems: past and present, building blocks, and other aspects of verbal and non-verbal systems, modalities, situated dialog
- Project suggestions for course project, tentative forming of groups
- Collaboration & Visualisation
- Iinterfaces for control and supervision of (semi)autonomous systems and multi-agent (robot) systems (VR / AR)
- Tangible Interfaces
- Visualisation: Intro to visualisation as a research field, fundamental concepts, basic methods, software and case studies
- Project definition / choice, decision on group formations
- Project presentations and guest lectures
- Presentation of the group projects
- Guest lectures on selected topics from a “real-world” perspective
Teaching and working methods
Meetings/modules 1 and 2 will consist of a mixture of lectures, guest lectures, seminar/discussion sessions and hands-on exercises. Most of the material will be distributed prior to the meetings for preparatory self-studies (“flipped classroom”). Participants are expected to actively contribute to discussions during the meetings. The main examination is a small self-defined group project that is examined at the third meeting. The course is designed as an integrated whole with close connections between the three meetings.
Main book (Module 1):
Bartneck, C., Belpaeme, T., et al., “Human-Robot Interaction – An Introduction”, Cambridge Univ. Press 2020, ISBN 978-1-108-73540-7
Click here to access an online version of the book.
Active participation and contribution in the discussions and hands-on parts of sessions / modules 1 and 2, successfully carried out project work. Missed sessions (with a good reason!) can be compensated for with a hand-in assignment upon agreement. The project work will be assessed on group level, but in the presentation individual contributions must be visible. A short report clarifying each individuals’ contribution will be required.
Syllabus (Kursplan)
Course page
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