Research

Developmental robotics relates to a new trend that permits the modelling of different brain and behavioural processes in humanoid robots. In contrast to purely computational modelling methods, cognitive robotics, taking inspiration from developmental mechanisms studied in children by psychologists and cognitive neuroscientists, focuses on the design of artificial architectures which integrate perception and action, and capable of autonomous learning, decision-making and communication.

iCub robot The first scientific objective of the RoboTAsk project is to create a developmental and ecological model that will enable the iCub humanoid robot to ground the meaning of language in tool affordances. Experiments carried out on the implemented model will permit to investigate the relations between language development and motor behaviours, and to generate new predictions which can be tested empirically.

The second objective of this project is to carry out a Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) study in order to investigate whether the iCub cognitive architecture exhibits a number of brain compatible features and participate in a shared task as a plausible interaction partner. The study will permit to analyse how people experience interaction through language with a humanoid robot.

Research Project Teaser (Video)



An Affordancebased Action Planner for On-line and Concurrent Human-Robot Collaborative Assembly (Video)