Teaching robots to cooperate with humans in dynamic manipulation tasks based on multi-modal human-in-the-loop approach

We propose an approach to efficiently teach robots how to perform dynamic manipulation tasks in cooperation with a human partner. The approach utilises human sensorimotor learning ability where the human tutor controls the robot through a multi-modal interface to make it perform the desired task. During the tutoring, the robot simultaneously learns the action policy of the tutor and through time gains full autonomy. We demonstrate our approach by an experiment where we taught a robot how to perform a wood sawing task with a human partner using a two-person cross-cut saw. The challenge of this experiment is that it requires precise coordination of the robot’s motion and compliance according to the partner’s actions. To transfer the sawing skill from the tutor to the robot we used Locally Weighted Regression for trajectory generalisation, and adaptive oscillators for adaptation of the robot to the partner’s motion.

[1]  Luka Peternel,et al.  Learning of compliant human–robot interaction using full-body haptic interface , 2013, Adv. Robotics.

[2]  Andrej Gams,et al.  On-line frequency adaptation and movement imitation for rhythmic robotic tasks , 2011, Int. J. Robotics Res..

[3]  Takashi Minato,et al.  Physical Human-Robot Interaction: Mutual Learning and Adaptation , 2012, IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine.

[4]  Oliver Kroemer,et al.  Combining active learning and reactive control for robot grasping , 2010, Robotics Auton. Syst..

[5]  Florian Schmidt,et al.  Multimodal telepresent control of DLR's Rollin' JUSTIN , 2009, 2009 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[6]  A. A. Maciejewski,et al.  Obstacle Avoidance , 2005 .

[7]  Christopher G. Atkeson,et al.  Constructive Incremental Learning from Only Local Information , 1998, Neural Computation.

[8]  Brett Browning,et al.  A survey of robot learning from demonstration , 2009, Robotics Auton. Syst..

[9]  Oliver Kroemer,et al.  Learning to select and generalize striking movements in robot table tennis , 2012, AAAI Fall Symposium: Robots Learning Interactively from Human Teachers.

[10]  Gordon Cheng,et al.  Dexterous Skills Transfer by Extending Human Body Schema to a Robotic Hand , 2006, 2006 6th IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots.

[11]  Matthias W. Seeger,et al.  Gaussian Processes For Machine Learning , 2004, Int. J. Neural Syst..

[12]  Eiichi Yoshida,et al.  Human-Robot Cooperation Based on Interaction Learning , 2010, From Motor Learning to Interaction Learning in Robots.

[13]  Joshua G. Hale,et al.  Human sensorimotor learning for humanoid robot skill synthesis , 2011, Adapt. Behav..

[14]  Stefan Schaal,et al.  Is imitation learning the route to humanoid robots? , 1999, Trends in Cognitive Sciences.

[15]  Stefano Chiaverini,et al.  Singularity-robust task-priority redundancy resolution for real-time kinematic control of robot manipulators , 1997, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[16]  Toru Tsumugiwa,et al.  Variable impedance control with virtual stiffness for human-robot cooperative peg-in-hole task , 2002, IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.

[17]  Stefan Schaal,et al.  Robot Programming by Demonstration , 2009, Springer Handbook of Robotics.

[18]  Satoru Goto,et al.  Human direct teaching of industrial articulated robot arms based on force-free control , 2006, Artificial Life and Robotics.

[19]  Peter J. Beek,et al.  Can co-activation reduce kinematic variability? A simulation study , 2005, Biological Cybernetics.

[20]  Antonio Bicchi,et al.  An atlas of physical human-robot interaction , 2008 .

[21]  Philippe Poignet,et al.  Towards a cooperative framework for interactive manipulation involving a human and a humanoid , 2011, 2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[22]  H. Gomi,et al.  Multijoint muscle regulation mechanisms examined by measured human arm stiffness and EMG signals. , 1999, Journal of neurophysiology.

[23]  Charles C. Kemp,et al.  Human-Robot Interaction for Cooperative Manipulation: Handing Objects to One Another , 2007, RO-MAN 2007 - The 16th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication.

[24]  Andrej Gams,et al.  Performing Periodic Tasks: On-Line Learning, Adaptation and Synchronization with External Signals , 2012 .

[25]  Joshua G. Hale,et al.  Using Humanoid Robots to Study Human Behavior , 2000, IEEE Intell. Syst..

[26]  Aude Billard,et al.  Dynamical System Modulation for Robot Learning via Kinesthetic Demonstrations , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Robotics.

[27]  Nikolaos G. Tsagarakis,et al.  Tele-impedance: Teleoperation with impedance regulation using a body–machine interface , 2012, Int. J. Robotics Res..

[28]  Luka Peternel,et al.  Humanoid robot posture-control learning in real-time based on human sensorimotor learning ability , 2013, 2013 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[29]  Brian Moore,et al.  Robotic grasping and manipulation through human visuomotor learning , 2012, Robotics Auton. Syst..

[30]  Aude Billard,et al.  A survey of Tactile Human-Robot Interactions , 2010, Robotics Auton. Syst..

[31]  Simon Haykin,et al.  Neural Networks: A Comprehensive Foundation , 1998 .

[32]  Paul Evrard,et al.  Teaching physical collaborative tasks: object-lifting case study with a humanoid , 2009, 2009 9th IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots.

[33]  M. Kawato,et al.  Functional significance of stiffness in adaptation of multijoint arm movements to stable and unstable dynamics , 2003, Experimental Brain Research.

[34]  Darwin G. Caldwell,et al.  Imitation Learning of Positional and Force Skills Demonstrated via Kinesthetic Teaching and Haptic Input , 2011, Adv. Robotics.

[35]  M. Kawato,et al.  Adaptation to Stable and Unstable Dynamics Achieved By Combined Impedance Control and Inverse Dynamics Model , 2003 .

[36]  Heni Ben Amor,et al.  Kinesthetic Bootstrapping: Teaching Motor Skills to Humanoid Robots through Physical Interaction , 2009, KI.

[37]  Aude Billard,et al.  Iterative learning of grasp adaptation through human corrections , 2012, Robotics Auton. Syst..

[38]  Oussama Khatib,et al.  Springer Handbook of Robotics , 2007, Springer Handbooks.

[39]  Rieko Osu,et al.  The central nervous system stabilizes unstable dynamics by learning optimal impedance , 2001, Nature.

[40]  Carl E. Rasmussen,et al.  Gaussian processes for machine learning , 2005, Adaptive computation and machine learning.

[41]  Jun Nakanishi,et al.  Movement imitation with nonlinear dynamical systems in humanoid robots , 2002, Proceedings 2002 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (Cat. No.02CH37292).

[42]  Andrej Gams,et al.  On-line learning and modulation of periodic movements with nonlinear dynamical systems , 2009, Auton. Robots.

[43]  Jan Peters,et al.  Nonamemanuscript No. (will be inserted by the editor) Reinforcement Learning to Adjust Parametrized Motor Primitives to , 2011 .