Event
Techno-Sciences Inc. Robotics Seminar Series: Oussama Khatib, "Robots and the Human"
Friday, April 22, 2011
10:00 a.m.
1146 A.V. Williams Building
Jaydev Desai
jaydev@umd.edu
Techno-Sciences Inc. Robotics Seminar Series
Robots and the Human
Oussama Khatib
Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
Stanford University
Host
Jaydev Desai
Abstract
Interacting, exploring, and working with humans, the new generation of robots being developed today will increasingly touch people and their lives, in homes, workplaces, and communities, providing support in services, entertainment, education, manufacturing, personal health care, and assistance. This presentation focuses on the effort to develop human-friendly robotic systems that combine the essential characteristics of safety, human-compatibility, and performance with emphasis on (i) new design concepts and novel sensing modalities; (ii) efficient planning and whole-body humanoid robot control strategies; and (iii) robotic-based synthesis of human motion and skills. These developments are providing new avenues for exploring human motion -- with exciting prospects for novel clinical therapies, athletic training, and performance improvement.
Biography
Oussama Khatib received his Doctorate degree in Electrical Engineering from SupAero, Toulouse, France, in 1980. He is Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University. His work on advanced robotics focuses on methodologies and technologies in human-centered robotics including humanoid control architectures, human motion synthesis, interactive dynamic simulation, haptics, and human-friendly robot design. He is Co-Editor of the Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics series, and has served on the Editorial Boards of several journals as well as the Chair or Co-Chair of numerous international conferences. He co-edited the Springer Handbook of Robotics, which received the PROSE Award for Excellence in Physical Sciences & Mathematics and was also the winner in the category Engineering & Technology. He is a Fellow of IEEE and has served RAS as a Distinguished Lecturer, as a member of the Administrative Committee, and as the Program Chair of ICRA 2000. He is the President of the International Foundation of Robotics Research (IFRR) and a recipient of the Japan Robot Association (JARA) Award in Research and Development. Professor Khatib received the 2010 IEEE RAS Pioneer Award in Robotics and Automation for his fundamental pioneering contributions in robotics research, visionary leadership, and life-long commitment to the field.
