INTELLIGENT (SOFT) ROBOTICS FOR HAPTIC INTERACTIONS

IRENE KULING

Biography
Irene Kuling is assistant professor Haptics & Soft robotics at Eindhoven University of Technology. She studied physics, human-technology interaction and obtained her PhD with a dissertation on the question "Where is my hand?”. As a researcher, she combines the perceptual and biomechanical properties of humans with designing intelligent technology for remote task performance and perception. Such haptic systems find applications in various fields ranging from teleoperated healthcare and rehabilitation to fruit picking. Irene’s key areas of expertise are haptics, human perception, tele-operation systems, soft robotics, motor control and human-robot interaction.

Abstract
During the COVID-pandemic the use of telecommunication systems has become daily practice in many domains. Although it is very convenient to remotely join meetings and have video calls with friends and family, not being able to physically interact with the remote world or to lend a hand to give care or support, makes one feel powerless. In this presentation, I will present our work on using soft robotic techniques in haptics for teleoperated and virtual systems, and discuss where and how these systems are, could be or should be made intelligent.