Title: Physical Human-Robot-Human Interaction
Abstract:
Effective physical interaction between therapists and patients is crucial in rehabilitation but is often constrained by proximity and a fixed interaction medium. This work explores physical Human-Robot-Human Interaction (pHRHI) as a novel approach to enabling remote, adjustable, and immersive physical interactions between humans, particularly for lower-limb gait rehabilitation. Key aspects of safe and effective pHRHI are examined, including interaction force control of a lower-limb exoskeleton, virtual physical coupling of two exoskeletons, and adaptive safety constraints with varying priorities. Finally, a novel robot-mediated immersive gait therapy is introduced and evaluated where post-stroke patients are remotely connected to a professional physical therapist.
Bio:
Emek Barış Küçüktabak received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Middle East Technical University in 2017. He earned his M.S. from ETH Zurich in 2019, where he conducted research on mobile manipulation with quadrupedal robots and interaction force control for upper-limb exoskeletons. He recently completed his Ph.D. at Northwestern University in Chicago, advised by Professors Kevin Lynch and José Pons. His dissertation, titled Physical Human-Robot-Human Interaction, investigated interaction control strategies for lower-limb exoskeletons and introduced novel approaches to robot-mediated gait therapy. He is currently a Scientist at the Honda Research Institute in San Jose, CA, where his research focuses on robotic manipulation and physical human-robot interaction. His honors include Fulbright Fellowship during his Ph.D. studies and the IEEE ICRA Best Paper Award in Medical Robotics.