Even one person and one robot working together constitute a type of collaborative partnership; and the partnerships become more complex and fertile ground for research when there are multiples of either. We have done a variety of robotics work for sponsors, and have particular expertise in human-robot interaction. As a part of our emphasis on human-centered computing, we are researching the ways that humans can better obtain and maintain situation awareness when the robot is beyond visual line-of-sight. In these cases, the operator(s) must depend totally on the information provided to them via the robot's interface. By improving human-robot interaction, we can increase the chances of success for safety-critical missions.

View the video clip on Improving Human-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Interaction, produced for an Air-Force funded Mission-Oriented Investigation and Experimentation project  [WMV, 9MB].

Dr. Jill Drury and Laurel Riek