Tech Project

IwR (Interact with Robots)
Physical Human-Robot InteractionMuldimodal control
Open Call
In Residency
Residency Outcome
The physical human-robot interaction is a field of research which offers many opportunities for artist to inte
From Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2019
  • IwR  Bazar, Mobile Manipulator, LIRMM CNRS-University of Montpellier, IDH Team, 161 rue ADA, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 5
    IwR Credits: Bazar, Mobile Manipulator, LIRMM CNRS-University of Montpellier, IDH Team, 161 rue ADA, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 5
  • IwR  HOAP3, humanoid robot, LIRMM CNRS-University of Montpellier, IDH Team, 161 rue ADA, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 5
    IwR Credits: HOAP3, humanoid robot, LIRMM CNRS-University of Montpellier, IDH Team, 161 rue ADA, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 5

Description of the challenges faced by the Tech Project

The challenge of IwR is to propose new paradigms of human-robot interactions through an artwork to raise awareness of relationships between robot and human in the future. The artist will have access to physical simulator of our robotic platforms first of all to imagine new ways of interactions. Then, the real platform will be also available once the proof of concept is validated in simulation. The idea is to provide an interactive artwork based on robots which presents innovative and futuristic ways of using a robot. The artist could also imagine new roles for robots interacting with human that could inspire people and robotics to reinvent the role of robot in our society based on eco-responsibility approach.

Brief description of technology

We are developing interactive algorithms for improving the collaboration between a robot and a human in several situations or applications such industrial applications and health (assistive robotics). In this context, we are investigating multimodality (i.e different ways of sensing) by using different kind of sensors such as camera, tactile sensor, IMU, force sensors and capacitive skins. Each modality brings to people a new way of thinking human-robot interaction. By merging the information of sensors and using differently those sensors we could imagine enriching the interaction with people specifically in assistive robotics for elderly or collaborative robotics for industrial applications. The main advantages of these developments are to provide new technology for serving real people in their daily life. The research and development activities are carried out by developing new algorithms (proof of concepts) on 3D realistic simulator before implementing on our experimental setup.

What the project is looking to gain from the collaboration and what kind of artist would be suitable

The physical human-robot interaction is a field of research which offers many opportunities for artist to interpret and represent a new way of physical interactions between a robot and a human. The artist is free to develop new paradigms or modalities for robots to interact with people. Making this new way of interacting to the public should bring new perspectives to roboticists and artists of representing the future world. The artworks will be developed through IwR aiming to raise the awareness of benefit in our daily life to interact intuitively with robots. Artistic domain is specifically suitable to engage the public in re-thinking ethical aspects of robotics to build together the world of tomorrow.

Resources available to the artist

We will provide several resources which are: office facility, computer equipment, simulation software for robotics as well as two real robotic platforms including sensors (IMU, camera, force sensors, hands with tactile sensors, capacitive skins). Master students should be possibly allocated to the project to support some software developments.