Publications | DREAM project

Mazel, A; Matu, S

DREAM Lite: Simplifying Robot Assisted Therapy for ASD Workshop

The second workshop of social robots in therapy and care. In conjunction with the 14th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI 2019). Daegu, Korea. March 11-14. , 2019.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

García, D H; Esteban, P G; Lee, H R; Romeo, M; Senft, E; Billing, E

Social Robots in Therapy and Care Inproceedings

2019 14th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), pp. 669-670, 2019, ISSN: 2167-2148.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@inproceedings{García2019,
title = {Social Robots in Therapy and Care},
author = {D H García and P G Esteban and H R Lee and M Romeo and E Senft and E Billing},
url = {http://his.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1290716&dswid=-6830},
doi = {10.1109/HRI.2019.8673243},
issn = {2167-2148},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-03-01},
booktitle = {2019 14th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI)},
pages = {669-670},
abstract = {The Social Robots in Therapy workshop series aims at advancing research topics related to the use of robots in the contexts of Social Care and Robot-Assisted Therapy (RAT). Robots in social care and therapy have been a long time promise in HRI as they have the opportunity to improve patients life significantly. Multiple challenges have to be addressed for this, such as building platforms that work in proximity with patients, therapists and health-care professionals; understanding user needs; developing adaptive and autonomous robot interactions; and addressing ethical questions regarding the use of robots with a vulnerable population. The full-day workshop follows last year's edition which centered on how social robots can improve health-care interventions, how increasing the degree of autonomy of the robots might affect therapies, and how to overcome the ethical challenges inherent to the use of robot assisted technologies. This 2nd edition of the workshop will be focused on the importance of equipping social robots with socio-emotional intelligence and the ability to perform meaningful and personalized interactions. This workshop aims to bring together researchers and industry experts in the fields of Human-Robot Interaction, Machine Learning and Robots in Health and Social Care. It will be an opportunity for all to share and discuss ideas, strategies and findings to guide the design and development of robot-assisted systems for therapy and social care implementations that can provide personalize, natural, engaging and autonomous interactions with patients (and health-care providers).},
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Li, Jiahan; Fang, Yinfeng; Huang, Yongan; Li, Gongfa; Ju, Zhaojie; Liu, Honghai

Towards Active Muscle Pattern Analysis for Dynamic Hand Motions via sEMG Inproceedings

Lotfi, Ahmad; Bouchachia, Hamid; Gegov, Alexander; Langensiepen, Caroline; McGinnity, Martin (Ed.): Advances in Computational Intelligence Systems, pp. 372–382, Springer International Publishing, Cham, 2019, ISBN: 978-3-319-97982-3.

Abstract | BibTeX

Billing, Erik; Rosén, Julia; Lindblom, Jessica

Expectations of robot technology in welfare Inproceedings

The 14th ACM/IEEE International Conference onHuman-Robot Interaction, 2019.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Liu, Bangli; Ju, Zhaojie; Kubota, Naoyuki; Liu, Honghai

Online action recognition based on skeleton motion distribution Inproceedings

Proceedings of the British Machine Vision Conference, British Machine Vision Association, 2018.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Gao, Dongxu; Ju, Zhaojie; Cao, Jiangtao; Liu, Honghai

A novel object tracking method based on a mixture model Journal Article

International Journal of Intelligent Robotics and Applications, 2 (3), pp. 361–371, 2018, ISSN: 2366-598X.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Ogenyi, Uchenna Emeoha; Zhang, Gongyue; Yang, Chenguang; Ju, Zhaojie; Liu, Honghai

An Intuitive Robot Learning from Human Demonstration Inproceedings

Chen, Zhiyong; Mendes, Alexandre; Yan, Yamin; Chen, Shifeng (Ed.): Intelligent Robotics and Applications, pp. 176–185, Springer International Publishing, Cham, 2018, ISBN: 978-3-319-97586-3.

Abstract | BibTeX

Dai, Lihong; Liu, Jinguo; Ju, Zhaojie; Liu, Yuwang

Real-Time HALCON-Based Pose Measurement System for an Astronaut Assistant Robot Inproceedings

Chen, Zhiyong; Mendes, Alexandre; Yan, Yamin; Chen, Shifeng (Ed.): Intelligent Robotics and Applications, pp. 366–378, Springer International Publishing, Cham, 2018, ISBN: 978-3-319-97586-3.

Abstract | BibTeX

Cai, Haibin; Liu, Bangli; Ju, Zhaojie; Thill, Serge; Belpaeme, Tony; Vanderborght, Bram; Liu, Honghai

Accurate Eye Center Localization via Hierarchical Adaptive Convolution Conference

British Machine Vision Conference (BMVC), 2018.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Zhao, Shuwen; Cai, Haibin; Liu, Honghai; Zhang, Jianhua; Chen, Shengyong

Feature Selection Mechanism in CNNs for Facial Expression Recognition Conference

British Machine Vision Conference (BMVC), 2018.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Jiang, Y; Yang, C; Ju, Z; Wang, M; Liu, H

Null Space Based Robot Compliant Control with Prescribed Motion Performance Inproceedings

2018 Eighth International Conference on Information Science and Technology (ICIST), pp. 294-300, 2018, ISSN: 2573-3311.

Links | BibTeX

Richardson, K; Coeckelbergh, M; Wakunuma, K; Billing, E; Ziemke, T; Gomez, P; Vanderborght, B; Belpaeme, T

Robot Enhanced Therapy for Children with Autism (DREAM): A Social Model of Autism Journal Article

IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, 37 (1), pp. 30-39, 2018, ISSN: 0278-0097.

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Xue, Y; Ju, Z; Xiang, K; Chen, J; Liu, H

Multimodal Human Hand Motion Sensing and Analysis -A Review Journal Article

IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems, pp. 1-1, 2018, ISSN: 2379-8920.

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Liu, Bangli; Ju, Zhaojie; Liu, Honghai

A structured multi-feature representation for recognizing human action and interaction Journal Article

Neurocomputing, 318 , pp. 287 - 296, 2018, ISSN: 0925-2312.

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Richardson, Kathleen

Challenging Sociality Book

Springer, 2018, ISBN: 978-3-319-74753-8.

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Gao, Qing; Liu, Jinguo; Ju, Zhaojie; Zhang, Lu; Li, Yangmin; Liu, Yuwang

Hand Detection and Location Based on Improved SSD for Space Human-Robot Interaction Inproceedings

Chen, Zhiyong; Mendes, Alexandre; Yan, Yamin; Chen, Shifeng (Ed.): Intelligent Robotics and Applications, pp. 164–175, Springer International Publishing, Cham, 2018, ISBN: 978-3-319-97586-3.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Zhou, Dalin; Fang, Yinfeng; Ju, Zhaojie; Liu, Honghai

Multi-length Windowed Feature Selection for Surface EMG Based Hand Motion Recognition Inproceedings

Chen, Zhiyong; Mendes, Alexandre; Yan, Yamin; Chen, Shifeng (Ed.): Intelligent Robotics and Applications, pp. 264–274, Springer International Publishing, Cham, 2018, ISBN: 978-3-319-97586-3.

Abstract | BibTeX

Xue, Y; Ju, Z; Xiang, K; Chen, J; Liu, H

Multimodal Human Hand Motion Sensing and Analysis -A Review Journal Article

IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems, pp. 1-1, 2018, ISSN: 2379-8920.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Fang, Y; Zhou, D; Li, K; Liu, H

Interface Prostheses With Classifier-Feedback-Based User Training Journal Article

IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 64 (11), pp. 2575-2583, 2017, ISSN: 0018-9294.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Fang, Y; Zhou, D; Li, K; Ju, Z; Liu, H

A force-driven granular model for EMG based grasp recognition Inproceedings

2017 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC), pp. 2939-2944, 2017.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

de Perre, Greet Van; Cao, Hoang-Long; Beir, Albert De; 'o, Pablo G; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

Generic method for generating blended gestures and affective functional behaviors for social robots Journal Article

Autonomous Robots, pp. 1–12, 2017.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Cao, Hoang-Long; Gomez Esteban, Pablo ; Beir, Albert De; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; {Van De Perre}, Greet ; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderboght, Bram

A survey on behavior control architectures for social robots in healthcare interventions Journal Article

International Journal of Humanoid Robotics, 2017, ISSN: 0219-8436.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Zhou, X; Cai, H; Li, Y; Liu, H

Two-eye model-based gaze estimation from a Kinect sensor Inproceedings

2017 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), pp. 1646-1653, 2017.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Hoang-Long, Cao ; 'o, G; , Albert De Beir; , Simut Ramona; de , Van Perre Greet; , Lefeber Dirk; Bram, Vanderborght

A Collaborative Homeostatic-Based Behavior Controller for Social Robots in Human--Robot Interaction Experiments Journal Article

International Journal of Social Robotics, 2017, ISSN: 1875-4805.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Senft, Emmanuel; Baxter, Paul; Kennedy, James; 'e, S; Belpaeme, Tony

Supervised autonomy for online learning in human-robot interaction Journal Article

Pattern Recognition Letters, 2017.

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Kennedy, James; Lemaignan, Severin; Montassier, Caroline; Lavalade, Pauline; Irfan, Bahar; Papadopoulos, Fotios; Senft, Emmanuel; Belpaeme, Tony

Child Speech Recognition in Human-Robot Interaction: Evaluations and Recommendations Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 12th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, Vienna, Austria, 2017.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Kennedy, James; Baxter, Paul; Belpaeme, Tony

Nonverbal Immediacy as a Characterisation of Social Behaviour for Human-Robot Interaction Journal Article

International Journal of Social Robotics, 9 (1), pp. 109–128, 2017.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Senft, Emmanuel; Lemaignan, Severin; Baxter, Paul E; Belpaeme, Tony

Leveraging Human Inputs in Interactive Machine Learning for Human Robot Interaction Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 12th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, 2017.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Kennedy, James; Baxter, Paul; Belpaeme, Tony

The Impact of Robot Tutor Nonverbal Social Behaviour on Child Learning Journal Article

Frontiers in ICT, 4 (6), 2017, ISSN: 2297-198X.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Esteban, {Pablo G }; Baxter, Paul; Belpaeme, Tony; Billing, Erik; Cai, Haibin; Cao, Hoang-Long; Coeckelbergh, Mark; Costescu, Cristina; David, Daniel; Beir, {Albert De} ; Fang, Yinfeng; Ju, Zhaojie; Kennedy, James; Liu, Honghai; Mazel, Alexandre; Pandey, Amit; Richardson, Kathleen; Senft, Emmanuel; Thill, Serge; de} Perre, {Greet Van ; Vanderborght, Bram; Vernon, David; Yu, Hui; Ziemke, Tom

How to build a supervised autonomous system for robot-enhanced therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder Journal Article

Paladyn: journal of behavioral robotics, pp. 18-38, 2017, ISSN: 2081-4836.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@article{Esteban2017,
title = {How to build a supervised autonomous system for robot-enhanced therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder},
author = {Esteban, {Pablo G.} and Paul Baxter and Tony Belpaeme and Erik Billing and Haibin Cai and Hoang-Long Cao and Mark Coeckelbergh and Cristina Costescu and Daniel David and Beir, {Albert De} and Yinfeng Fang and Zhaojie Ju and James Kennedy and Honghai Liu and Alexandre Mazel and Amit Pandey and Kathleen Richardson and Emmanuel Senft and Serge Thill and Perre, {Greet Van de} and Bram Vanderborght and David Vernon and Hui Yu and Tom Ziemke},
url = {http://www.dream2020.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Paladyn-Journal-of-Behavioral-Robotics-How-to-Build-a-Supervised-Autonomous-System-for-Robot-Enhanced-Therapy-for-Children-with-Autism-Spectrum-Disorder.pdf},
issn = {2081-4836},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-01-01},
journal = {Paladyn: journal of behavioral robotics},
pages = {18-38},
abstract = {Robot-Assisted Therapy (RAT) has successfully been used to improve social skills in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) through remote control of the robot in so-called Wizard of Oz (WoZ) paradigms. However, there is a need to increase the autonomy of the robot both to lighten the burden on human therapists (who have to remain in control and, importantly, supervise the robot) and to provide a consistent therapeutic experience. This paper seeks to provide insight into increasing the autonomy level of social robots in therapy to move beyond WoZ. With the final aim of improved human-human social interaction for the children, this multidisciplinary research seeks to facilitate the use of social robots as tools in clinical situations by addressing the challenge of increasing robot autonomy. We introduce the clinical framework in which the developments are tested, alongside initial data obtained from patients in a first phase of the project using a WoZ set-up mimicking the targeted supervised-autonomy behaviour. We further describe the implemented system architecture capable of providing the robot with supervised autonomy.},
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Hoang-Long, Cao; Albert, De Beir; 'o, G; Ramona, Simut; de Greet, Van Perre; Dirk, Lefeber; Bram, Vanderborght

An End-User Interface to Generate Homeostatic Behavior for NAO Robot in Robot-Assisted Social Therapies Book Chapter

Rojas, Ignacio ; Joya, Gonzalo ; Catala, Andreu (Ed.): pp. 609–619, Springer International Publishing, Cham, 2017, ISBN: 978-3-319-59147-6.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Baxter, Paul

Memory-centred cognitive architectures for robots interacting socially with humans Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 2nd Workshop on Cognitive Architecture for Social Human-Robot Interaction, at HRI'16, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Baxter, Paul; Lemaignan, Séverin; Trafton, Gregory J

Cognitive Architectures for Social Human-Robot Interaction (workshop abstract) Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 11th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2016.

BibTeX

Baxter, Paul; Belpaeme, Tony

A cautionary note on personality (extroversion) assessments in child-robot interaction studies Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 2nd Workshop on Evaluating Child-Robot Interaction, at HRI'16, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Kennedy, James; Baxter, Paul; Senft, Emmanuel; Belpaeme, Tony

Heart vs Hard Drive: Children Learn More From a Human Tutor Than a Social Robot Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 11th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, pp. 451–452, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Kennedy, James; Baxter, Paul; Senft, Emmanuel; Belpaeme, Tony

Social Robot Tutoring for Child Second Language Learning Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 11th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, pp. 231–238, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Baxter, Paul; Kennedy, James; Senft, Emmanuel; Lemaignan, Séverin; Belpaeme, Tony

From Characterising Three Years of HRI to Methodology and Reporting Recommendations Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 11th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (alt.HRI), pp. 391–398, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Wills, Paul; Baxter, Paul; Kennedy, James; Senft, Emmanuel; Belpaeme, Tony

Socially Contingent Humanoid Robot Head Behaviour Results in Increased Charity Donations Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 11th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, pp. 533–534, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Senft, Emmanuel; Baxter, Paul; Kennedy, James; Lemaignan, Séverin; Belpaeme, Tony

Providing a Robot with Learning Abilities Improves its Perception by Users Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 11th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, pp. 513–514, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Vanderfaeillie, Johan; Cao, Hoang-Long; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

Are social robots social enough for preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder? Book Chapter

XI Autism Europe International Conference, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@inbook{dafb1027148e4322912d1baf93c0d2ee,
title = {Are social robots social enough for preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder?},
author = {Simut Vanderborght, Ramona and Johan Vanderfaeillie and Hoang-Long Cao and Dirk Lefeber and Bram Vanderborght},
url = {https://cris.cumulus.vub.ac.be/portal/en/publications/are-social-robots-social-enough-for-preschoolers-with-autism-spectrum-disorder(dafb1027-148e-4322-912d-1baf93c0d2ee).html},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-01-01},
booktitle = {XI Autism Europe International Conference},
abstract = {Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can often experience an information overload when they interact with people. Therefore, they can find social interaction threatening, making them withdraw, even from family members. It has been declared that robots are able to engage children with ASD in social tasks. These outcomes are hypothesized to be the result of several strengths the robots have, in comparison with human interaction partners. They express human-like behaviors, but these behaviors can be break down in small pieces and presented only partially, repeatable and less intense to the children with ASD. This makes communication, with all its complex and frightening subtleties and nuances, less complicated and more comfortable for them. Aim was to investigate if a social robot is able to trigger joint attention (JA) in young children with ASD. 25 children were exposed to a JA task with respectively, a therapist and a robot. It was examined if the children differed in the way how they follow the gaze, alternate eye-contact, share social information with the two partners. Participants achieved significantly higher JA performance with the human partner compared to the robot. Our outcomes are in contradiction with existing research and suggest to be more cautious in promoting or using robotic tools when training JA for children with ASD. When, how, for which purpose robots can be used in the treatment of children with ASD remains still unclear. Despite of the so declared potential of robots, rigorous studies are needed to provide answers to these questions.},
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Cao, Hoang-Long; Gomez Esteban, Pablo ; De Beir, Albert ; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Van De Perre, Greet ; Vanderborght, Bram

A platform-independent robot control architecture for multiple therapeutic scenarios Book Chapter

Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on New Frontiers in Human-Robot Interaction, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@inbook{98167b0e4f024137a78692f7cff1c8b3,
title = {A platform-independent robot control architecture for multiple therapeutic scenarios},
author = {Hoang-Long Cao and Gomez Esteban, Pablo and De Beir, Albert and Simut Vanderborght, Ramona and Van De Perre, Greet and Bram Vanderborght},
url = {https://cris.cumulus.vub.ac.be/portal/en/publications/toward-a-platformindependent-social-behavior-architecture-for-multiple-therapeutic-scenarios(2ff3b2d9-4092-4232-bf8b-a4c700ab3111).html},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on New Frontiers in Human-Robot Interaction},
abstract = {While social robots are developed to provide assistance to users through social interactions, their behaviors are dominantly pre-programmed and remote-controlled. Despite the numerous robot control architectures being developed, very few offer reutilization opportunities in various therapeutic contexts. To bridge this gap, we propose a robot control architecture to be applied in different scenarios taking into account requirements from both therapeutic and robotic perspectives. As robot behaviors are kept at an abstract level and afterward mapped with the robot's morphology, the proposed architecture accommodates its applicability to a variety of social robot platforms.
AB - While social robots are developed to provide assistance to users through social interactions, their behaviors are dominantly pre-programmed and remote-controlled. Despite the numerous robot control architectures being developed, very few offer reutilization opportunities in various therapeutic contexts. To bridge this gap, we propose a robot control architecture to be applied in different scenarios taking into account requirements from both therapeutic and robotic perspectives. As robot behaviors are kept at an abstract level and afterward mapped with the robot's morphology, the proposed architecture accommodates its applicability to a variety of social robot platforms.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inbook}
}

Gomez Esteban, Pablo ; Cao, Hoang-Long; De Beir, Albert ; Van De Perre, Greet ; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

A multilayer reactive system for robots interacting with children with autism Book Chapter

Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on New Frontiers in Human-Robot Interaction, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Peca, Andreea; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Cao, Hoang-Long; Vanderborght, Bram

Do infants perceive the social robot Keepon as a communicative partner? Journal Article

Infant Behavior and Development, 42 , pp. 157 - 167, 2016, ISSN: 0163-6383.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Beir, Albert De; Vanderboght, Bram

Evolutionary Method for Robot Morphology: Case Study of Social Robot Probo Inproceedings

The Eleventh ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human Robot Interaction, pp. 609–610, IEEE Press, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-4673-8370-7.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Peca, Andreea; Coeckelbergh, Mark; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Pop, Cristina; Pintea, Sebastian; David, Daniel D; Vanderborght, Bram

A scale measuring ethical acceptability of Robot Enhanced Therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Journal Article

IEEE Technology And Society Magazine, 2016, ISSN: 1932-4529.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

de Perre, Greet Van; Beir, Albert De; Cao, Hoang-Long; Esteban, Pablo G'omez; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

Reaching and pointing gestures calculated by a generic gesture system for social robots Journal Article

Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 83 , pp. 32-43, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Baxter, Paul; Kennedy, James; Ashurst, Emily; Belpaeme, Tony

The Effect of Repeating Tasks on Performance Levels in Mediated Child-Robot Interactions. Inproceedings

In Proceedings of the Robots 4 Learning Workshop, at RO-MAN 2016, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Kennedy, James; Lemaignan, Severin; Belpaeme, Tony

The Cautious Attitude of Teachers Towards Social Robots in Schools Inproceedings

In Proceedings of the Robots 4 Learning Workshop, at RO-MAN 2016, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Lemaignan, Severin; Kennedy, James; Baxter, Paul; Belpaeme, Tony

Towards "Machine-Learnable" Child-Robot Interactions: the PInSoRo Dataset Journal Article

In Proceedings of the Long-Term Child-Robot Interaction Workshop, at RO-MAN 2016, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Stahl, Bernd Carsten; Coeckelbergh, Mark

Ethics of Healthcare Robotics: Towards Responsible Research and Innovation Journal Article

Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 86 , pp. 152 - 161, 2016, ISSN: 0921-8890.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Senft, Emmanuel; Lemaignan, Severin; Baxter, Paul E; Belpaeme, Tony

SPARC: an efficient way to combine reinforcement learning and supervised autonomy. Inproceedings

FILM Workshop at NIPS'16, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Beckerle, Philipp; Beir, Albert De; ü, Tim Sch; Caspar, Emilie A

Human body schema exploration: Analyzing design requirements of Robotic Hand and Leg Illusions Inproceedings

Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN), 2016 25th IEEE International Symposium on, pp. 763–768, IEEE 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@inproceedings{beckerle2016human,
title = {Human body schema exploration: Analyzing design requirements of Robotic Hand and Leg Illusions},
author = { Philipp Beckerle and Albert De Beir and Tim Sch{ü}rmann and Emilie A Caspar},
url = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7745205/},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-01-01},
booktitle = {Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN), 2016 25th IEEE International Symposium on},
pages = {763--768},
organization = {IEEE},
abstract = {Understanding the integration of user-proximal robots in the body schema of their human users has a distinct potential to improve human-robot interaction. Robotic devices can help to investigate the psychological fundamentals of body schema integration. While the Rubber Hand Illusion experiment indicates how artifacts can be perceived as a part of the own body, it relies on a passive limb that does not perform motions during the examinations. Novel setups aim at Robotic Hand/Leg Illusions induced by robotic devices which imitate human motions. Although such devices distinctly extend experimental possibilities, their design is rather proprietary and unstructured up to now. This paper analyzes the requirements of robotic hand and leg illusion setups based on systematic discussion of a multidisciplinary team of researchers from engineering and psychology. In a comparative study, requirements are collected and structured, their similarities and differences are determined, and the most important ones are extracted yielding design implications. The requirements with the highest priority are setup characteristics that concern the occurrence and quality of the illusion, i.e., hiding the real limb, anatomical plausibility, visual appearance, temporal delay, and software-controlled experimental conditions. Based on the results, the design of future robotic devices for the exploration of human body schema integration might be guided and supported.},
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Beir, Albert De; Cao, Hoang-Long; 'o, Pablo G; de Perre, Greet Van; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

Enhancing emotional facial expressiveness on NAO Journal Article

International Journal of Social Robotics, 8 (4), pp. 513–521, 2016.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Vernon, David; Thill, Serge; Ziemke, Tom; Hemeren, Paul; Billing, Erik

An Architecture-oriented Approach to System Integration in Collaborative Robotics Research Projects — An Experience Report Journal Article

Journal of Software Engineering for Robotics, 6 (1), pp. 15 - 32, 2015, ISSN: 2035-3928.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@article{DVernon2015,
title = {An Architecture-oriented Approach to System Integration in Collaborative Robotics Research Projects — An Experience Report},
author = {David Vernon and Serge Thill and Tom Ziemke and Paul Hemeren and Erik Billing},
url = {http://www.dream2020.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/15_Vernon_et_al_JOSER.pdf},
issn = {2035-3928},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-12-06},
journal = {Journal of Software Engineering for Robotics},
volume = {6},
number = {1},
pages = {15 - 32},
abstract = {Effective system integration requires strict adherence to strong software engineering standards, a practice not much favoured in many collaborative research projects. We argue that component-based software engineering (CBSE) provides a way to overcome this problem because it provides flexibility for developers while requiring the adoption of only a modest number of software engineering practices. This focus on integration complements software re-use, the more usual motivation for adopting CBSE.

We illustrate our argument by showing how a large-scale system architecture for an application in the domain of robot-enhanced therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been implemented. We highlight the manner in which the integration process is facilitated by the architecture implementation of a set of placeholder components that comprise stubs for all functional primitives, as well as the complete implementation of all inter-component communications. We focus on the component-port-connector meta-model and show that the YARP robot platform is a well-matched middleware framework for the implementation of this model. To facilitate the validation of port-connector communication, we configure the initial placeholder implementation of the system architecture as a discrete event simulation and control the invocation of each component’s stub primitives probabilistically. This allows the system integrator to adjust the rate of inter-component communication while respecting its asynchronous and concurrent character. Also, individual ports and connectors can be periodically selected as the simulator cycles through each primitive in each sub-system component.

This ability to control the rate of connector communication considerably eases the task of validating component-port-connector behaviour in a large system. Ultimately, over and above its well-accepted benefits for software re-use in robotics, CBSE strikes a good balance between software engineering best practice and the socio-technical problem of managing effective integration in collaborative robotics research projects.},
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pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
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Effective system integration requires strict adherence to strong software engineering standards, a practice not much favoured in many collaborative research projects. We argue that component-based software engineering (CBSE) provides a way to overcome this problem because it provides flexibility for developers while requiring the adoption of only a modest number of software engineering practices. This focus on integration complements software re-use, the more usual motivation for adopting CBSE.

We illustrate our argument by showing how a large-scale system architecture for an application in the domain of robot-enhanced therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been implemented. We highlight the manner in which the integration process is facilitated by the architecture implementation of a set of placeholder components that comprise stubs for all functional primitives, as well as the complete implementation of all inter-component communications. We focus on the component-port-connector meta-model and show that the YARP robot platform is a well-matched middleware framework for the implementation of this model. To facilitate the validation of port-connector communication, we configure the initial placeholder implementation of the system architecture as a discrete event simulation and control the invocation of each component’s stub primitives probabilistically. This allows the system integrator to adjust the rate of inter-component communication while respecting its asynchronous and concurrent character. Also, individual ports and connectors can be periodically selected as the simulator cycles through each primitive in each sub-system component.

This ability to control the rate of connector communication considerably eases the task of validating component-port-connector behaviour in a large system. Ultimately, over and above its well-accepted benefits for software re-use in robotics, CBSE strikes a good balance between software engineering best practice and the socio-technical problem of managing effective integration in collaborative robotics research projects.

Cai, Haibin; Zhou, Xiaolong; Yu, Hui; Liu, Honghai

Gaze Estimation Driven Solution for Interacting Children with ASD Inproceedings

26th 2015 International Symposium on Micro-NanoMechatronics and Human Science, Nagoya, Japan, 2015.

BibTeX

Zhang, Shu; Yu, Hui; Dong, Junyu; Wang, Ting; Liu, Honghai

Automatic Reconstruction of Dense 3D Face Point Cloud with A Single Depth Image Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 2015 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, Hong Kong, China , 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Cao, Hoang-Long; Gomez Esteban, Pablo ; De Beir, Albert ; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Van de Perre, Greet ; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

Toward a platform-independent social behavior architecture for multiple therapeutic scenarios Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Social Robots in Therapy and Education, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

De Beir, Albert ; Cao, Hoang-Long; Gomez Esteban, Pablo ; Van de Perre, Greet ; Vanderborght, Bram

Enhancing Nao expression of emotions using pluggable eyebrows Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Social Robots in Therapy and Education, Windesheim Flevoland, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Tilmans, Roger; Gomez Esteban, Pablo ; Cao, Hoang-Long; Vanderborght, Bram

Social and autonomous confabulation architecture for autism therapy Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Social Robots in Therapy and Education, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Ju, Zhaojie; Ji, Xiaofei; Li, Jing; Liu, Honghai

An Integrative Framework of Human Hand Gesture Segmentation for Human–Robot Interaction Journal Article

Systems Journal, IEEE, PP (99), pp. 1-11, 2015, ISSN: 1932-8184.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Drejing, Karl; Thill, Serge; Hemeren, Paul

Engagement: A traceable motivational concept in human-robot interaction Inproceedings

Affective Computing and Intelligent Interaction (ACII), 2015 International Conference on, pp. 956-961, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@inproceedings{7344690,
title = {Engagement: A traceable motivational concept in human-robot interaction},
author = {Karl Drejing and Serge Thill and Paul Hemeren},
url = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?arnumber=7344690},
doi = {10.1109/ACII.2015.7344690},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-09-01},
booktitle = {Affective Computing and Intelligent Interaction (ACII), 2015 International Conference on},
pages = {956-961},
abstract = {Engagement is essential to meaningful social interaction between humans. Understanding the mechanisms by which we detect engagement of other humans can help us understand how we can build robots that interact socially with humans. However, there is currently a lack of measurable engagement constructs on which to build an artificial system that can reliably support social interaction between humans and robots. This paper proposes a definition, based on motivation theories, and outlines a framework to explore the idea that engagement can be seen as specific behaviors and their attached magnitude or intensity. This is done by the use of data from multiple sources such as observer ratings, kinematic data, audio and outcomes of interactions. We use the domain of human-robot interaction in order to illustrate the application of this approach. The framework further suggests a method to gather and aggregate this data. If certain behaviors and their attached intensities co-occur with various levels of judged engagement, then engagement could be assessed by this framework consequently making it accessible to a robotic platform. This framework could improve the social capabilities of interactive agents by adding the ability to notice when and why an agent becomes disengaged, thereby providing the interactive agent with an ability to reengage him or her. We illustrate and propose validation of our framework with an example from robot-assisted therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder. The framework also represents a general approach that can be applied to other social interactive settings between humans and robots, such as interactions with elderly people.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}

Gao, Dongxu; Ju, Zhaojie; Cao, Jiangtao; Liu, Honghai

Real time Object Tracking Via a Mixture Model Inproceedings

24th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, pp. 112-116, IEEE, Kobe, Japan, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Vernon, David; Thill, Serge; Ziemke, Tom

The Role of Intention in Cognitive Robotics Book Chapter

Esposito, Anna; Jain, Lakhmi C (Ed.): Socially Believable Behaving Systems - The Quest for Equipping Machines with Human-Level Automaton Intelligence, Springer, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Thill, Serge; Vernon, David

How to design emergent models of cognition for application-driven artificial agents Conference

Proc. Neural Computation Psychology Workshop (in press), 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Cao, Hoang-Long; Pop, Cristina A; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Furnemont, Raphael; De Beir, Albert ; Van De Perre, Greet ; Gomez Esteban, Pablo ; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

Probolino: A Portable low-cost social device for home-based autism therapy Inproceedings

Tapus, Adriana; André, Elisabeth; Martin, Jean-Claude; Ferland, François; Ammi, Mehdi (Ed.): Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Social Robotics, pp. 93–102, Springer, 2015, ISBN: 978-3-319-25553-8.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@inproceedings{cao2015probolino,
title = {Probolino: A Portable low-cost social device for home-based autism therapy},
author = {Hoang-Long Cao and Cristina A. Pop and Ramona { Simut Vanderborght } and Raphael Furnemont and Albert { De Beir } and Greet { Van De Perre } and Pablo { Gomez Esteban } and Dirk Lefeber and Bram Vanderborght},
editor = {Adriana Tapus and Elisabeth André and Jean-Claude Martin and François Ferland and Mehdi Ammi},
url = {https://cris.cumulus.vub.ac.be/portal/en/publications/probolino-a-portable-lowcost-social-device-for-homebased-autism-therapy(0ea075a7-6e41-4490-b3ba-2f0ca90613bf).html},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-25554-5_10},
isbn = {978-3-319-25553-8},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-08-10},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Social Robotics},
pages = {93--102},
publisher = {Springer},
series = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science},
abstract = {Recent research has shown that social robots are beneficial in therapeutic interventions for children with autism in clinical environment. For the generalization of the skills learned in therapy sessions outside the clinic or laboratory, the therapeutic process needs to be continued at home. Therefore, social robotic devices should be designed with smaller sizes, lower cost, and higher level of autonomy. This paper presents the development of Probolino, a portable and low-cost social robotic device based on the social robot Probo. The system functions as a "robotic cognitive orthotic" which is an intermediate step between a computer and a robot without motion. Interactive games are developed to help children with autism spectrum disorders make social decisions in daily activities. These activities are configured in a time-line by therapists or parents via a web interface. Probolino is expected to enhance the efficiency of current robot-assisted autism therapy.

Recent research has shown that social robots are beneficial in therapeutic interventions for children with autism in clinical environment. For the generalization of the skills learned in therapy sessions outside the clinic or laboratory, the therapeutic process needs to be continued at home. Therefore, social robotic devices should be designed with smaller sizes, lower cost, and higher level of autonomy. This paper presents the development of Probolino, a portable and low-cost social robotic device based on the social robot Probo. The system functions as a "robotic cognitive orthotic" which is an intermediate step between a computer and a robot without motion. Interactive games are developed to help children with autism spectrum disorders make social decisions in daily activities. These activities are configured in a time-line by therapists or parents via a web interface. Probolino is expected to enhance the efficiency of current robot-assisted autism therapy.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}

Peca, Andreea; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Pintea, Sebastian; Vanderborght, Bram

Are children with ASD more prone to test the intentions of the Robonova robot compared to a human? Journal Article

International Journal of Social Robotics, 7 (5), pp. 629–639, 2015, ISSN: 1875-4791.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@article{peca2015,
title = {Are children with ASD more prone to test the intentions of the Robonova robot compared to a human?},
author = {Andreea Peca and Ramona { Simut Vanderborght } and Sebastian Pintea and Bram Vanderborght},
url = {https://cris.cumulus.vub.ac.be/portal/en/publications/are-children-with-asd-more-prone-to-test-the-intentions-of-the-robonova-robot-compared-to-a-human(628967bf-bcbe-4fdb-b5c7-b8d1ccc0e8c3).html},
issn = {1875-4791},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-08-09},
journal = {International Journal of Social Robotics},
volume = {7},
number = {5},
pages = {629--639},
abstract = {This study proposes an innovative device specifically designed for investigating the ability of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to test the intention of a partner in a dyadic interactive game. 21 children with ASD were exposed to both a contingent and a noncontingent interaction condition with either a human agent or the Robonova robot as partners. The statistical analysis indicates a strong tendency toward a significant higher frequency of testing behaviors in the robot noncontingent condition and no difference between the two groups (robot/human) for the contingent condition. Children with ASD showed significantly more eye gaze to the robot compared to the human agent in both contingent and noncontingent conditions, but no difference in affect was found. The high level of initiations recorded in all conditions suggests that the game has a high motivational value for ASD children. Further longitudinal studies should investigate if such synchronous interaction games lead to improved shared intentionality in children with ASD.

AB - This study proposes an innovative device specifically designed for investigating the ability of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to test the intention of a partner in a dyadic interactive game. 21 children with ASD were exposed to both a contingent and a noncontingent interaction condition with either a human agent or the Robonova robot as partners. The statistical analysis indicates a strong tendency toward a significant higher frequency of testing behaviors in the robot noncontingent condition and no difference between the two groups (robot/human) for the contingent condition. Children with ASD showed significantly more eye gaze to the robot compared to the human agent in both contingent and noncontingent conditions, but no difference in affect was found. The high level of initiations recorded in all conditions suggests that the game has a high motivational value for ASD children. Further longitudinal studies should investigate if such synchronous interaction games lead to improved shared intentionality in children with ASD},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

This study proposes an innovative device specifically designed for investigating the ability of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to test the intention of a partner in a dyadic interactive game. 21 children with ASD were exposed to both a contingent and a noncontingent interaction condition with either a human agent or the Robonova robot as partners. The statistical analysis indicates a strong tendency toward a significant higher frequency of testing behaviors in the robot noncontingent condition and no difference between the two groups (robot/human) for the contingent condition. Children with ASD showed significantly more eye gaze to the robot compared to the human agent in both contingent and noncontingent conditions, but no difference in affect was found. The high level of initiations recorded in all conditions suggests that the game has a high motivational value for ASD children. Further longitudinal studies should investigate if such synchronous interaction games lead to improved shared intentionality in children with ASD.

AB - This study proposes an innovative device specifically designed for investigating the ability of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to test the intention of a partner in a dyadic interactive game. 21 children with ASD were exposed to both a contingent and a noncontingent interaction condition with either a human agent or the Robonova robot as partners. The statistical analysis indicates a strong tendency toward a significant higher frequency of testing behaviors in the robot noncontingent condition and no difference between the two groups (robot/human) for the contingent condition. Children with ASD showed significantly more eye gaze to the robot compared to the human agent in both contingent and noncontingent conditions, but no difference in affect was found. The high level of initiations recorded in all conditions suggests that the game has a high motivational value for ASD children. Further longitudinal studies should investigate if such synchronous interaction games lead to improved shared intentionality in children with ASD

Cai, Haibin; Yu, Hui; Yao, Chunyan; Chen, Shengyong; Liu, Honghai

Conlution-Based Means of Gradient for Fast Eye Centre Localization Inproceedings

7th International Conference on Machine Learning and Cybernetics, Guangzhou,China, 2015.

BibTeX

Cai, Haibin; Liu, Bangli; Zhang, Jianhua; Chen, Shengyong; Liu, Honghai

Visual Focus of Attention Estimation Using Eye Center Localization Journal Article

Systems Journal,IEEE, PP (99), pp. 1-6, 2015, ISSN: 1932-8184 .

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Vanderfaeillie, Johan; Peca, Andreea; Van De Perre, Greet ; Vanderborght, Bram

Children with autism spectrum disorders make a fruit salad with Probo, the social robot. An interaction study Journal Article

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46 (1), pp. 113–126, 2015, ISSN: 0162-3257.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Senft, Emmanuel; Baxter, Paul; Belpaeme, Tony

Human-Guided Learning of Social Action Selection for Robot-Assisted Therapy Journal Article

Journal of Machine Learning Research, 43 , pp. 15-20, 2015, (Proceedings of The 4th Workshop on Machine Learning for Interactive Systems, 11th July, 2015 (Lille, France)).

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Vernon, David; Beetz, Michael; Sandini, Giulio

Prospection in cognition: the case for joint episodic-procedural memory in cognitive robotics Journal Article

Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 2 (19), pp. 1-14, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@article{Vernon2015,
title = {Prospection in cognition: the case for joint episodic-procedural memory in cognitive robotics},
author = {David Vernon and Michael Beetz and Giulio Sandini},
url = {http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frobt.2015.00019/abstract},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-07-01},
journal = {Frontiers in Robotics and AI},
volume = {2},
number = {19},
pages = {1-14},
abstract = {Prospection lies at the core of cognition: it is the means by which an agent – a person or a cognitive robot – shifts its perspective from immediate sensory experience to anticipate future events, be they the actions of other agents or the outcome of its own actions. Prospection, accomplished by internal simulation, requires mechanisms for both perceptual imagery and motor imagery. While it is known that these two forms of imagery are tightly entwined in the mirror neuron system, we do not yet have an effective model of the mentalizing network which would provide a framework to integrate declarative episodic and procedural memory systems and to combine experiential knowledge with skillful know-how. Such a framework would be founded on joint perceptuo-motor representations. In this paper, we examine the case for this form of representation, contrasting sensory-motor theory with ideo-motor theory, and we discuss how such a framework could be realized by joint episodic-procedural memory. We argue that such a representation framework has several advantages for cognitive robots. Since episodic memory operates by recombining imperfectly recalled past experience, this allows it to simulate new or unexpected events. Furthermore, by virtue of its associative nature, joint episodic-procedural memory allows the internal simulation to be conditioned by current context, semantic memory, and the agent’s value system. Context and semantics constrain the combinatorial explosion of potential perception-action associations and allow effective action selection in the pursuit of goals, while the value system provides the motives that underpin the agent’s autonomy and cognitive development. This joint episodic-procedural memory framework is neutral regarding the final implementation of these episodic and procedural memories, which can be configured sub-symbolically as associative networks or symbolically as content-addressable image databases and databases of motor-control scripts.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

Prospection lies at the core of cognition: it is the means by which an agent – a person or a cognitive robot – shifts its perspective from immediate sensory experience to anticipate future events, be they the actions of other agents or the outcome of its own actions. Prospection, accomplished by internal simulation, requires mechanisms for both perceptual imagery and motor imagery. While it is known that these two forms of imagery are tightly entwined in the mirror neuron system, we do not yet have an effective model of the mentalizing network which would provide a framework to integrate declarative episodic and procedural memory systems and to combine experiential knowledge with skillful know-how. Such a framework would be founded on joint perceptuo-motor representations. In this paper, we examine the case for this form of representation, contrasting sensory-motor theory with ideo-motor theory, and we discuss how such a framework could be realized by joint episodic-procedural memory. We argue that such a representation framework has several advantages for cognitive robots. Since episodic memory operates by recombining imperfectly recalled past experience, this allows it to simulate new or unexpected events. Furthermore, by virtue of its associative nature, joint episodic-procedural memory allows the internal simulation to be conditioned by current context, semantic memory, and the agent’s value system. Context and semantics constrain the combinatorial explosion of potential perception-action associations and allow effective action selection in the pursuit of goals, while the value system provides the motives that underpin the agent’s autonomy and cognitive development. This joint episodic-procedural memory framework is neutral regarding the final implementation of these episodic and procedural memories, which can be configured sub-symbolically as associative networks or symbolically as content-addressable image databases and databases of motor-control scripts.

Wang, Yiming; Yu, Hui; Stevens, Brett; Liu, Honghai

Dynamic Facial Expression Recognition Using Local Patch and LBP-TOP Conference

Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Human System Interaction, IEEE , Warsaw ,Poland, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Zhang, Shu; Yu, Hui; Dong, Junyu; Wang, Ting; Qi, Lin; Liu, Honghai

Combining Kinect and PnP for Camera Pose Estimation Conference

In: Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Human System Interaction, IEEE , Warsaw,Poland, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Van de Perre, Greet ; Van Damme, Michaël ; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

Development of a generic method to generate upper-body emotional expressions for different social robots Journal Article

Advanced Robotics, 29 (9), pp. 597-609, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@article{van2015development,
title = {Development of a generic method to generate upper-body emotional expressions for different social robots},
author = {Greet { Van de Perre } and Michaël { Van Damme } and Dirk Lefeber and Bram Vanderborght},
url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01691864.2015.1031697#.VcisIPmqpBc},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-05-05},
journal = {Advanced Robotics},
volume = {29},
number = {9},
pages = {597-609},
abstract = {To investigate the effect of gestures in human–robot interaction, a number of social robots capable of gesturing have been designed. Gestures are often preprogrammed off-line or generated by mapping motion capture data to the robot. Since these gestures are dependent on the robot’s joint configuration, they cannot be used for other robots. Therefore, when using a new robot platform with a different morphology, new joint trajectories to reach the desired postures need to be implemented. This method aims to minimize the workload when implementing gestures on a new robot platform and facilitate the sharing of gestures between different robots. The innovative aspect of this method is that it is constructed independently of any robot configuration, and therefore it can be used to generate gestures for different robot platforms. To calculate a gesture for a certain configuration, the developed method uses a set of target gestures listed in a database and maps them to that specific configuration. The database currently consists of a set of emotional expressions. The method was validated on the virtual model of different robots and an online survey was performed to evaluate the user’s perception of the output of the method. The results of this survey showed that the calculated gestures for a certain robot configuration well resemble the target gestures, and thus that our developed method to map gestures to different robot morphologies gives good results.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

Ju, Zhaojie; Gao, Dongxu; Cao, Jiangtao; Liu, Honghai

A Novel Approach to Extract Hand Gesture Feature in Depth Images Journal Article

Multimedia Tools and Applications, 2015, ISSN: 1573-7721.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Kennedy, James; Baxter, Paul; Belpaeme, Tony

Can Less be More? The Impact of Robot Social Behaviour on Human Learning Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on New Frontiers in HRI at AISB 2015, Canterbury, UK, 2015, ISBN: 3319255541, 9783319255545.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Senft, Emmanuel; Baxter, Paul; Kennedy, James; Belpaeme, Tony

When is it better to give up? Towards Autonomous Action Selection for Robot Assisted ASD Therapy Inproceedings

Proceedings of the Tenth Annual ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction Extended Abstracts, pp. 197-198, ACM Press, 2015, ISBN: 978-1-4503-3318-4.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Kennedy, James; Baxter, Paul; Belpaeme, Tony

Head Pose Estimation is an Inadequate Replacement for Eye Gaze in Child-Robot Interaction Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 10th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction Extended Abstracts, pp. 35–36, ACM 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Kennedy, James; Baxter, Paul; Belpaeme, Tony

The Robot Who Tried Too Hard: Social Behaviour of a Robot Tutor Can Negatively Affect Child Learning Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 10th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, pp. 67–74, ACM 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Ziemke, Tom; Thill, Serge; Vernon, David

Embodiment is a Double-Edged Sword in Human-Robot Interaction: Ascribed vs. Intrinsic Intentionality Conference

Proc. Workshop on Cognition: A Bridge between Robotics and Interaction, ACM/IEEE Human Robot Interaction Conference (HRI 2015), Portland, USA , 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Coeckelbergh, Mark; Pop, Cristina A; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Peca, Andreea; Pintea, Sebastian; David, Daniel; Vanderborght, Bram

A Survey of Expectations About the Role of Robots in Robot-Assisted Therapy for Children with ASD: Ethical Acceptability, Trust, Sociability, Appearance, and Attachment Journal Article

Science and Engineering Ethics, pp. 1-19, 2015, ISSN: 1353-3452.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@article{Coeckelbergh2015,
title = {A Survey of Expectations About the Role of Robots in Robot-Assisted Therapy for Children with ASD: Ethical Acceptability, Trust, Sociability, Appearance, and Attachment},
author = {Mark Coeckelbergh and Cristina A. Pop and Ramona { Simut Vanderborght } and Andreea Peca and Sebastian Pintea and Daniel David and Bram Vanderborght},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11948-015-9649-x},
issn = {1353-3452},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-01-01},
journal = {Science and Engineering Ethics},
pages = {1-19},
publisher = {Springer Netherlands},
abstract = {The use of robots in therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) raises issues concerning the ethical and social acceptability of this technology and, more generally, about human–robot interaction. However, usually philosophical papers on the ethics of human–robot-interaction do not take into account stakeholders’ views; yet it is important to involve stakeholders in order to render the research responsive to concerns within the autism and autism therapy community. To support responsible research and innovation in this field, this paper identifies a range of ethical, social and therapeutic concerns, and presents and discusses the results of an exploratory survey that investigated these issues and explored stakeholders’ expectations about this kind of therapy. We conclude that although in general stakeholders approve of using robots in therapy for children with ASD, it is wise to avoid replacing therapists by robots and to develop and use robots that have what we call supervised autonomy. This is likely to create more trust among stakeholders and improve the quality of the therapy. Moreover, our research suggests that issues concerning the appearance of the robot need to be adequately dealt with by the researchers and therapists. For instance, our survey suggests that zoomorphic robots may be less problematic than robots that look too much like humans.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

Kennedy, James; Baxter, Paul; Belpaeme, Tony

Comparing Robot Embodiments in a Guided Discovery Learning Interaction with Children Journal Article

International Journal of Social Robotics, 7 (2), pp. 293–308, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Baxter, Paul; Matu, Silviu; Senft, Emmanuel; Costescu, Cristina; Kennedy, James; David, Daniel; Belpaeme, Tony

Touchscreen-Mediated Child-Robot Interactions Applied to ASD Therapy Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Social Robots in Therapy and Education, Almere, Netherlands, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Baxter, Paul; Ashurst, Emily; Kennedy, James; Senft, Emmanuel; Lemaignan, Séverin; Belpaeme, Tony

The wider supportive role of social robots in the classroom for teachers Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Educational Robotics, at ICSR 2015, Paris, France, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Kennedy, James; Baxter, Paul; Senft, Emmanuel; Belpaeme, Tony

Using Immediacy to Characterise Robot Social Behaviour in Child-Robot Interactions Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 1st Workshop on Evaluating Child-Robot Interaction, at ICSR 2015, Paris, France, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Senft, Emmanuel; Baxter, Paul; Kennedy, James; Belpaeme, Tony

SPARC: Supervised Progressively Autonomous Robot Competencies Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Social Robotics, pp. 603–612, Springer International Publishing, Paris, France, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Kennedy, James; Baxter, Paul; Senft, Emmanuel; Belpaeme, Tony

Higher Nonverbal Immediacy Leads to Greater Learning Gains in Child-Robot Tutoring Interactions Inproceedings

Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Social Robotics, pp. 327–336, Springer International Publishing, Paris, France, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Zhou, Xiaolong; Yu, Hui; Liu, Honghai; Li, Youfu

Tracking Multiple Video Targets with an Improved GM-PHD Tracker Journal Article

Sensors, 15 (12), pp. 29794, 2015, ISSN: 1424-8220.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Cao, Hoang-Long; Gomez Esteban, Pablo ; De Beir, Albert ; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Van De Perre, Greet ; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

Toward a platform-independent social behavior architecture for multiple therapeutic scenarios Book Chapter

Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Social Robots in Therapy and Education, Windesheim Flevoland, 2015.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Peca, Andreea; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Pintea, Sebastian; Costescu, Cristina A; Vanderborght, Bram

How do typically developing children and children with autism perceive different social robots? Journal Article

Computers in Human Behavior, 41 , pp. 268-277, 2014.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Yu, Hui; Liu, Honghai

Linear Regression for Head Pose Analysis Conference

Proceedings of IEEE World Congress on Computational Intelligence, IEEE , Beijing ,China, 2014, ISBN: 978-1-4799-6627-1.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Yu, Hui; Ju, Zhaojie; Liu, Honghai

Image Factorization and Feature Fusion for Enhancing Robot Vision in Human Face Recognition Conference

Proceedings of IEEE World Congress on Computational Intelligence, IEEE , Beijing, China, 2014, ISBN: 978-1-4799-6627-1 .

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Yu, Hui; Liu, Honghai

Regression-Based Facial Expression Optimization Journal Article

IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems, 44 (3), pp. 386-394, 2014, ISSN: 2168-2291 .

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Pop, Cristina A; Pintea, Sebastian; Vanderborght, Bram; David, Daniel

Enhancing play skills, engagement and social skills in a play task in ASD children by using robot-based interventions. Journal Article

Interaction Studies, 15 (2), pp. 71 - 91, 2014, ISSN: 1572-0373.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Costescu, Cristina A; Vanderborght, Bram; David, Daniel

The effects of robot-enhanced psychotherapy. A meta-analysis Journal Article

Review of General Psychology , 18 (2), pp. 127 - 136, 2014, ISSN: 1089-2680.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

David, Daniel; Matu, Silviu; David, Oana

Robot-Based Psychotherapy: Concepts Development, State of the Art, and New Directions Journal Article

International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 7 (2), pp. 192 - 210, 2014, ISSN: 1937-1209.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Cao, Hoang-Long; Van de Perre, Greet ; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Pop, Cristina A; Peca, Andreea; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

Enhancing My Keepon Robot: A Simple and Low-Cost Solution for Robot Platform in Human-Robot Interaction Studies Conference

Proceedings of the 23rd IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, Edinburgh, UK, 2014.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Cao, Hoang-Long; Gomez Esteban, Pablo ; De Beir, Albert ; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Van de Perre, Greet ; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

ROBEE: A homeostatic-based social behavior controller for robots in Human-Robot Interaction experiments Conference

Proceedings of the 2014 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics, IEEE, Bali, Indonesia, 2014.

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Pop, Cristina A; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Pintea, Sebastian; Saldien, Jelle; Rusu, Alina S; David, Daniel; Vanderfaeillie, Johan; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

Can the Social Robot Probo help Children with Autism to Identify Situation-based Emotions? Journal Article

International Journal of Humanoid Robotics, 10 (3), 2013, ISSN: 0219-8436.

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Pop, Cristina A; Simut Vanderborght, Ramona ; Pintea, Sebastian; Saldien, Jelle; Rusu, Alina S; Vanderfaeillie, Johan; David, Daniel; Lefeber, Dirk; Vanderborght, Bram

Social Robots vs. Computer Display: Does the Way Social Stories are Delivered Make a Difference for Their Effectiveness on ASD Children? Journal Article

Journal of Educational Computing Research, 49 (3), pp. 381 - 401, 2013, ISSN: 0735-6331.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@article{Pop2013,
title = {Social Robots vs. Computer Display: Does the Way Social Stories are Delivered Make a Difference for Their Effectiveness on ASD Children? },
author = {Cristina A. Pop and Ramona { Simut Vanderborght } and Sebastian Pintea and Jelle Saldien and Alina S. Rusu and Johan Vanderfaeillie and Daniel David and Dirk Lefeber and Bram Vanderborght},
url = {http://jec.sagepub.com/content/49/3/381},
doi = {10.2190/EC.49.3.f},
issn = {0735-6331},
year = {2013},
date = {2013-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Educational Computing Research},
volume = {49},
number = {3},
pages = {381 - 401},
abstract = {Background and Objectives: The aim of this exploratory study is to test whether social stories presented by a social robot have a greater effect than ones presented on a computer display in increasing the independency in expressing social abilities of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Although much progress has been made in developing interventions to improve social skills of children with ASD, a number of unresolved problems still remain. Social robots received increased attention as assisting tools for improving social skills on children with ASD.

Methods: Twenty children with ASD (age between 4 and 9 years old) were randomly allocated to three groups: control group (n = 7), computer-presented social stories (n = 6), and robot assisted therapy (n = 7).

Results: Overall, our data indicate that using the social robot to implement social story intervention was more effective for improving the independency of expressing social abilities for the participants, than the computer screen.

Limitations: Future studies should include a bigger sample size, more intervention sessions, and a follow-up session in order to see if the effect persists in time.

Conclusions: The preliminary outcomes of this exploratory research provide empirical bases for further investigations regarding the effectiveness of robot assisted therapy in improving social skills for children with autism through future randomized clinical trials.
},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}