Special Topic Course:

Human-Robot Interaction

This course will focus on the emerging field of Human-Robot Interaction (HRI).  This multidisciplinary research area draws from: Robotics, AI, Human-Computer Interaction, and Cognitive Psychology.  The main goal of HRI is to enable robots to successfully interact with humans.   As robots increasingly make their way into functional roles in everyday human environments (like homes, schools, and hospitals), we need them to be able to interact with everyday people.  Moreover, a person working with a robot shouldn’t be required to learn a new form of interaction.  Thus, we need to develop computational models of social intelligence for these robots that will allow them to have interactions that are natural and intuitive for a human partner.

Human-Robot Interaction

Spring 2011 - CS 8803


Instructor

Andrea L. Thomaz

Assistant Professor

School of Interactive Computing


When & Where

Tues, Thurs 9:35-10:55pm

MoSE 1224


Office Hours

TBA, and by appointment


Who should take this course?

This is a graduate course meant for students considering the pursuit of research in HRI.  It will be assumed that students have some background in AI, Robotics, or HCI, either from coursework or research.  Talk with the instructor if you have prerequisites questions.


  1. • HCC students: it counts toward the HCI specialization.

  2. • Robotics students: it is a foundation course for the Human-Interaction core.


Textbook

There is no single text on HRI, therefore readings will be assigned for each class, and will be linked from the syllabus.


Grading

  1. • 40% Assignments & Critiques

  2. • 10% Class participation

  3. • 50% Term project