1st Summer School on HRI-Social Robotics

About

The intersection of humans and robots has become increasingly critical as society integrates robotics into everyday life. This course provides an in-depth exploration of social robotics, the branch of robotics that involves the design, development, and study of robots that interact and communicate with humans or other robots in a socially meaningful way. Participants will investigate concepts such as robot design for social interaction, ethical considerations, and real-world applications using various robot platforms as hands-on case studies.

This course introduces participants to the foundational principles of Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) with a focus on Social Robotics (SR) in education. Through a blend of lectures, practical workshops, and group assignments, participants will:

-Explore the design and development of social robots.
-Learn how to evaluate and refine robots’ social capabilities.
-Learn basic design and research methods in HRI-SR.
-Engage in hands-on programming and customisation of robot platforms for various HRI-SR scenarios.
-Have the opportunity to publish a short contribution in an academic conference.

The course combines theory with practical, multidisciplinary approaches. Students will examine the implications of social robotics in various domains while gaining insights into the latest advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics

Course leader

Farnaz Baksh and Matevž Zorec, Junior Research Fellows at the University of Tartu

Target group

BSc/MSc/PhD

Course aim

By the end of the course, students will:

1. Understand key concepts in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) and the design principles behind socially interactive robots.
2. Be able to design and implement various design and research methods in HRI scenarios.
3. Program and customise a social robot for specific interaction scenarios.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical and societal implications of deploying social robots in various domains.
5. Collaboratively develop and present a prototype robot application addressing a real-world social challenge

Fee info