Alle Publikationen
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2018
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(2018): ROBIN, a Telepresence Robot to Support Older Users Monitoring and Social Inclusion: Development and Evaluation. In: Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association 24 (2), S. 145-154. DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2016.0258
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2016.0258 Abstract: INTRODUCTION This article describes an enhanced telepresence robot named ROBIN, part of a telecare system derived from the GIRAFFPLUS project for supporting and monitoring older adults at home. ROBIN is integrated in a sensor-rich environment that aims to continuously monitor physical and psychological wellbeing of older persons living alone. The caregivers (formal/informal) can communicate through it with their assisted persons. Long-term trials in real houses highlighted several user requirements that inspired improvements on the robotic platform. The enhanced telepresence robot was assessed by users to test its suitability to support social interaction and provide motivational feedback on health-related aspects. METHODS Twenty-five users (n = 25) assessed the new multimodal interaction capabilities and new communication services. A psychophysiological approach was adopted to investigate aspects like engagement, usability, and affective impact, as well as the possible role of individual differences on the quality of human-robot interaction. RESULTS ROBIN was overall judged usable, the interaction with/through it resulted pleasant and the required workload was limited, thus supporting the idea of using it as a central component for remote assistance and social participation. Open-minded users tended to have a more positive interaction with it. CONCLUSIONS This work describes an enabling technology for remote assistance and social communication. It highlights the importance of being compliant with users' needs to develop solutions easy to use and able to foster their social connections. The role of personality appeared to be relevant for the interaction, underscoring a clear role of the service personalization.
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(2018): Do a robot's social skills and its objection discourage interactants from switching the robot off?. In: PLoS one 13 (7). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201581
DOI: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30063750 Abstract: Building on the notion that people respond to media as if they were real, switching off a robot which exhibits lifelike behavior implies an interesting situation. In an experimental lab study with a 2x2 between-subjects-design (N = 85), people were given the choice to switch off a robot with which they had just interacted. The style of the interaction was either social (mimicking human behavior) or functional (displaying machinelike behavior). Additionally, the robot either voiced an objection against being switched off or it remained silent. Results show that participants rather let the robot stay switched on when the robot objected. After the functional interaction, people evaluated the robot as less likeable, which in turn led to a reduced stress experience after the switching off situation. Furthermore, individuals hesitated longest when they had experienced a functional interaction in combination with an objecting robot. This unexpected result might be due to the fact that the impression people had formed based on the task-focused behavior of the robot conflicted with the emotional nature of the objection.
Keywords: Adolescent, Adult, Artificial intelligence, Attitude, Biomimetic Materials, Electrical Equipment and Supplies, Emotions/physiology, Female, Fortschritt, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Mensch-Roboter-Interaktion, Motivation, Object Attachment, Robotics/instrumentation, Social Skills, User-Computer Interface, Young Adult -
(2018): Intuitive control of mobile robots: An architecture for autonomous adaptive dynamic behaviour integration. In: Cognitive Processing 19 (2), S. 245-264. DOI: 10.1007/s10339-017-0818-5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-017-0818-5 Abstract: In this paper, we present a novel approach to human–robot control. Taking inspiration from behaviour-based robotics and self-organisation principles, we present an interfacing mechanism, with the ability to adapt both towards the user and the robotic morphology. The aim is for a transparent mechanism connecting user and robot, allowing for a seamless integration of control signals and robot behaviours. Instead of the user adapting to the interface and control paradigm, the proposed architecture allows the user to shape the control motifs in their way of preference, moving away from the case where the user has to read and understand an operation manual, or it has to learn to operate a specific device. Starting from a tabula rasa basis, the architecture is able to identify control patterns (behaviours) for the given robotic morphology and successfully merge them with control signals from the user, regardless of the input device used. The structural components of the interface are presented and assessed both individually and as a whole. Inherent properties of the architecture are presented and explained. At the same time, emergent properties are presented and investigated. As a whole, this paradigm of control is found to highlight the potential for a change in the paradigm of robotic control, and a new level in the taxonomy of human in the loop systems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
2016
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(2016): Ethische Herausforderungen zum Einsatz sozial-assistiver Roboter bei älteren Menschen. In: Zeitschrift fur Gerontologie und Geriatrie 49 (4), S. 303-307. DOI: 10.1007/s00391-016-1066-5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-016-1066-5 Abstract: Socially assistive robots are increasingly discussed as solutions in care and domestic use for the support of senior adults; however, this raises ethical questions which hitherto have not been considered or were not predictable. The most important questions are those of privacy and data protection, safety and responsibility as well as involvement of vulnerable persons and deception. Consequently, the ethical principles of nonmaleficence, beneficence, autonomy and fairness should be transposed to robotics. Clear answers and solutions are not yet available for every ethical challenge in robotics; however, the development of ethical guidelines for deployment of robots and research in the field of social service robots (SSR) are essential steps in order to embed ethics into dealing with socially assistive robots. This article provides some practical suggestions on this issue from a robotics project.
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(2016): Sollten Assistenzroboter eine "Persönlichkeit" haben? : Potenzial simplifizierter Roboterpersönlichkeiten. In: Zeitschrift fur Gerontologie und Geriatrie 49 (4), S. 298-302. DOI: 10.1007/s00391-016-1068-3
DOI: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27245227 Abstract: BACKGROUND In the European Union (EU) research project "HOBBIT" prototypes of assistive robots were developed in order to support a more secure and independent life style and trials were run at the homes of elderly users. OBJECTIVE The project "personAAL" aimed at investigating whether distinct behavioral forms of a robot ("personality"), despite an identical basic function (e.g. bringing a message) are perceived as different personalities by the test persons. MATERIAL AND METHODS For this study a robot was equipped with two types of behavior, one more introverted (purely function-oriented, impersonal and factual) and the other more extroverted (lively and enriched). The two types of behavior were demonstrated to 13 test persons (mostly older persons and experts from the care domain). RESULTS Nearly all of the test persons (12 out of 13) perceived a difference with respect to the behavior of the robot. Of the test persons 1 preferred the introverted robot, 9 the extroverted behavior of the robot and 3 had no preferences or stated that the preference depended on the context. The evaluation of answers to the Godspeed questionnaire resulted in significantly different perceptions of "anthropomorphism" and "animated" as well as in the total evaluation. It is also remarkable that no significant differences could be found for "likeability" and "perceived security". There was also no significant correlation between the preferred behavior of the robot and the self-assessment of the test person as being more introverted or extroverted. CONCLUSION From these results it can be concluded that acceptance of a robot does not solely depend on the mere function, which of course is a precondition but that it is advisable to offer a choice between different types of behavior in order to optimize acceptance.
Keywords: 80 and over, activities of daily living, Aged, Assistenz, Ergonomics, Europe, Female, Humans, Male, man-machine systems, Mensch-Roboter-Interaktion, Methods, Patient Acceptance of Health-Care, Patient Preference, Personality, PSYCHOLOGY, Robotics, Self-Help Devices, Social Support, User-Computer Interface 2014
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(2014): Improving manual skills in persons with disabilities (PWD) through a multimodal assistance system. In: Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technology 9 (4), S. 335-343. DOI: 10.3109/17483107.2013.799238
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/17483107.2013.799238 Abstract: UNLABELLED In this research work, we present a Multimodal Guidance System (MGS) whose aim is to provide dynamic assistance to persons with disabilities (PWD) while performing manual activities such as drawing, coloring in and foam-cutting tasks. The MGS provides robotic assistance in the execution of 2D tasks through haptic and sound interactions. Haptic technology provides the virtual path of 2D shapes through the point-based approach, while sound technology provides audio feedback inputs related to the hand's velocity while sketching and filling or cutting operations. By combining this Multimodal System with the haptic assistance, we have created a new approach with possible applications to such diverse fields as physical rehabilitation, scientific investigation of sensorimotor learning and assessment of hand movements in PWD. The MGS has been tested by people with specific disorders affecting coordination, such as Down syndrome and developmental disabilities, under the supervision of their teachers and care assistants inside their learning environment. A Graphic User Interface has been designed for teachers and care assistants in order to provide training during the test sessions. Our results provide conclusive evidence that the effect of using the MGS increases the accuracy in the tasks operations. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION The Multimodal Guidance System (MGS) is an interface that offers haptic and sound feedback while performing manual tasks. Several studies demonstrated that the haptic guidance systems can help people in recovering cognitive function at different levels of complexity and impairment. The applications supported by our device could also have an important role in supporting physical therapist and cognitive psychologist in helping patients to recover motor and visuo-spatial abilities.
Keywords: Adolescent, Adult, Assistenz, Developmental Disabilities/physiopathology/psychology/rehabilitation, Entwicklungspsychologie, Equipment Design, Feedback, Sensory/physiology, Female, Humans, Male, Motor Skills Disorders/physiopathology/psychology/rehabilitation, Psychomotor Performance/physiology, Robotics, Self-Help Devices, User-Computer Interface, Young Adult 2013
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(2013): Being and feeling in sync with an adaptive virtual partner. Brain mechanisms underlying dynamic cooperativity. In: Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) 23 (11), S. 2592-2600. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhs243
DOI: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22892422 Abstract: Cooperation is intrinsic to the human ability to work together toward common goals, and depends on sensing and reacting to dynamically changing relationships between coacting partners. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a paradigm in which an adaptive pacing signal simulates a virtual partner, we examined the neural substrates underlying dynamic joint action. A single parameter controlled the degree to which the virtual partner adapted its behavior in relation to participant taps, thus simulating varying degrees of cooperativity. Analyses of fMRI data using objective and subjective measures of synchronization quality found the relative balance of activity in two distinct neural networks to depend on the degree of the virtual partner's adaptivity. At lower degrees of adaptivity, when the virtual partner was easier to synchronize with, cortical midline structures were activated in conjunction with premotor areas, suggesting a link between the action and socio-affective components of cooperation. By contrast, right lateral prefrontal areas associated with central executive control processes were recruited during more cognitively challenging interactions while synchronizing with an overly adaptive virtual partner. Together, the reduced adaptive sensorimotor synchronization paradigm and pattern of results illuminate neural mechanisms that may underlie the socio-emotional consequences of different degrees of entrainment success.
Keywords: Acoustic Stimulation, adaptation, Adult, Anpassung, BRAIN, Brain Mapping, Cooperative Behavior, Emotions, Female, Gehirnfunktion, Humans, Kognitionswissenschaft/Social Sciences/Humanities, Kognitive Skills/Social Cognition, Kooperation, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Photic Stimulation, physiology, Psychological, Sensory Feedback, User-Computer Interface, Young Adult 2012
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(2012): Ethical issues in brain-computer interface research, development, and dissemination. In: Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPT 36 (2), S. 94-99. DOI: 10.1097/NPT.0b013e31825064cc
DOI: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22592066 Abstract: The steadily growing field of brain-computer interfacing (BCI) may develop useful technologies, with a potential impact not only on individuals, but also on society as a whole. At the same time, the development of BCI presents significant ethical and legal challenges. In a workshop during the 4th International BCI meeting (Asilomar, California, 2010), six panel members from various BCI laboratories and companies set out to identify and disentangle ethical issues related to BCI use in four case scenarios, which were inspired by current experiences in BCI laboratories. Results of the discussion are reported in this article, touching on topics such as the representation of persons with communication impairments, dealing with technological complexity and moral responsibility in multidisciplinary teams, and managing expectations, ranging from an individual user to the general public. Furthermore, we illustrate that where treatment and research interests conflict, ethical concerns arise. On the basis of the four case scenarios, we discuss salient, practical ethical issues that may confront any member of a typical multidisciplinary BCI team. We encourage the BCI and rehabilitation communities to engage in a dialogue, and to further identify and address pressing ethical issues as they occur in the practice of BCI research and its commercial applications. zitiert von: 46
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(2012): Designing robots for the elderly: Appearance issue and beyond. In: Archives of gerontology and geriatrics 54 (1), S. 121-126. DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2011.02.003
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2011.02.003 Abstract: This paper provides the results of three focus groups organized in the framework of the ROBADOM project, aiming at designing a service type assistive robot for the elderly with mild cognitive impairment living at home. The main objective of these focus groups was to give some recommendations to engineers in charge of the design of the robot’s appearance. Results showed that although many humanoid robots were criticized by most participants, some small creative humanoid robots were appreciated. However, beyond the issue of the robot appearance, many ethical and social issues were raised. These focus groups offered an opportunity for participants to discuss the very idea of an assistive robot and to challenge some implicit preconceptions of the roboticists. Finally, we discuss how assistive robots could be designed considering the social context of the elderly and how to implicate the elderly as future end-users in the design process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
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