Events Calendar

CS Colloquium: Baris Akgun (Georgia Institute of Technology) - Robots Interactively Learning and Exploring with People

Speaker: Baris Akgun, Georgia Institute of Technology

Talk Title: Robots Interactively Learning and Exploring with People

Series: CS Colloquium

Abstract: This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Computer Science Research Colloquium

Robots are destined to move beyond the "caged" factory floors towards domains where they will be interacting closely with humans. They will encounter highly varied environments, scenarios and user demands. As a result, end-users
programming robots after deployment will be an important requirement.

In this talk, I will present results of studies with non-expert people teaching robots by demonstration and algorithms developed based on the lessons learned. My main observation is these users concentrate on achieving the goal of the demonstrated skills rather than providing good quality demonstrations. I will describe a learning from demonstration approach that leverages this goal directed behavior of users and is able to continue self-improvement on these learned models after the end-user leaves, an important step toward life-long learning. I will then talk about results of an experiment with non-expert teachers on an interactive approach that incorporates all the methods and algorithms I have introduced thus far. The work presented represents one example in a larger agenda of human-centered learning from demonstration, I conclude with a discussion of grand challenges ahead.

the lecture will be available to stream HERE. Please open link in new tab for best results.

Biography: Baris Akgun is a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. He received his Ph.D. in Robotics from Georgia Institute of Technology under Assoc. Prof. Dr. Andrea Thomaz where he worked on developing algorithms and interactions that enable robots to learn from non-expert teachers and to use their learned information to autonomously get better over time. He received his M.Sc. degree in Computer Engineering in 2010 from METU working on affordance learning and mirror neuron inspired learning from demonstration under Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erol Sahin. .He received his B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering with an extracurricular minor in Mechatronics in 2007. His research interests lie at the intersection of human-robot interaction and machine learning for robotics. He is currently working on deploying his developed methodologies in a household setting with non-expert teachers. His research was funded by the NSF and the ONR. He was a recipient of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) scholarship for his M.Sc and the Fulbright Scholarship for his Ph.D.

Host: CS Department

More Info: URL:https://bluejeans.com/213720883

Location: Henry Salvatori Computer Science Center (SAL) - 101

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Assistant to CS chair

Event Link: URL:https://bluejeans.com/213720883