AI to support customised interactive social robot applications

Overview

https://research.qut.edu.au/designlab/https://research.qut.edu.au/designlab/

This project aims to investigate the opportunities of using AI-enabled robot technology, such as humanoid robots, to enhance the employability of people with intellectual disability (ID). We propose that access and retention in employment can be enhanced with learning technologies that can support people to acquire, practice, and maintain job-related skills while creating socially inclusive workplaces. Humanoid robots are being marketed for supporting people with practical tasks in homes and workplaces . As a type of social robot, they have the potential provide dignified, inclusive experiences to employees with ID while addressing the cost and limited access to human support.

Vision-Language Models (VLMs), a branch of the new wave of Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities, are now sufficiently mature to enable entirely new forms of multimodal interaction, where users can express them selves through a blend of verbal, visual and situational modalities and receive information through images, videos and audio channels. These new types of interactions align with the diverse communication modes preferred by people with ID. Non-judgmental human repetition through AI technology can enhance the independent use of executive function skills in employees with ID. Social Robots (SRs) are a natural platform for these multi-modal interactions, as they can hear, see, show, display and talk, adding a layer of non-judgmental personhood to the interaction.

“Enablers” (educators, support staff and employers) are people who will actively engage in creating, customising, and facilitating the utilisation of technology in collaboration with people with ID. Ensuring that enablers are reinforced, not hindered, by technology, is crucial for widespread adoption and sustained usage. This project will focus on enabler-led design, elaborating new approaches that build on the developing field of participatory AI.

Research activities

• Literature review.
• Participatory design research.
• Interviews.
• Qualitative data analysis.
• Prototype development

Outcomes

• Student thesis.
• Co-authored publications
• Technology prototypes

Skills and experience

Students applying for this topic should have at least one of:

• experience and/or interest in working with people with disabilities
• experience in participatory design and/or prototyping approaches.

A background in human-computer interaction or human-robot interaction (or similar) is required.

Students with relevant lived experience are strongly encouraged to apply.

Scholarships

You may be eligible to apply for a research scholarship.

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Keywords

• participatory design
• AI
• Robotics
• Social robots
• humanoid robots
• people with intellectual disabilities
• intellectual disability
• ID
• Cognitive disability
• employment
• vision language models
• VLM
• Communication
• Training
• Co-design

Contact

Contact the supervisor for more information