Grigorios Skaltsas

Investigating robot and human adaptation using physiological measurements for users’ stress minimization during Human-Robot Interaction

Principal Supervisor:
Prof. Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn
University of Hertfordshire

Collaboration partners:

  • Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
  • Fraunhofer-Institut für Produktionstechnik und Automatisierung IPA

Competence Area: Interaction

CV:

WORK EXPERIENCE

1 Feb 2016–Present
Research Assistant
herts.ac.uk, Hatfield
Robotics research (HRI) using care-o-bot 3.x, "sunflower" robot, ROS, python, C/C++,
User modeling and stress detection using: eye-tracking, galvanic skin response (GSR),
accelerometers, gyroscopes, heart rate.


1 Feb 2012–20 Jan 2016
University Assistant
tuwien.ac.at, vienna (Austria)
Human-Robot interaction research involving a KUKA lightweight robot and accelerometer based
human response prediction using various types of neural networks. (C/C++, Python 2.x/Theano)
Java/OOP module exam preparation/tuition/assessment


1 Nov 2010–31 May 2011
Independent computer/network systems builder/developer
Self-employed/Freelance IT/Security,
London, NW10 4QJ (United Kingdom)
computer/network systems building/development, home/office security systems installations and
smart house products integration in to business/household environments
Business or sector IT/Security


Nov 2009–Oct 2010
Independent computer/network systems builder/developer
Self-employed
IT/Security, Chania (Greece)
computer/network systems building/development, home/office security systems installations and
smart house products integration in to business/household environments
Business or sector IT/Security


Nov 2009–Oct 2010
Agricultural-machinery mechanic and fitter / Agricultural worker
Family business, Chania (Greece)
Conservation/service of various small scale agricultural machines
Business or sector Agriculture, forestry and fishing

10 Nov 2008–10 Nov 2009
Army general staff.
Greek army (Greece)
Greek army units personnel. Weapon training and armored personnel carrier technician.
Note: 12 month Armed forces service is compulsory for all Greek male citizens. It was not a freely chosen career option.
Business or sector Military


Jun 2002–Sep 2002
British Aerospace trainee
Training 2000, Blackburn (UK)
Engineering and mEDUCATION AND TRAININGanufacturing processes, Electrical, Pneumatic and CNC
practicals.
Business or sector Engineering


Sep 2001–Jun 2005
Independent computer/network systems builder/developer
Self-employed, Liverpool (UK)
computer/network systems building/development, home/office security systems installations and
smart house products integration in to business/household environments
Business or sector IT/Security



EDUCATION AND TRAINING


27 Jun 2016–9 Jul 2016
Attendance certificate
UPM, Madrid (Spain)
www.dia.fi.upm.es

Neural Networks and Deep Learning
Supervised Pattern Recognition
Unsupervised Pattern Recognition
Feature Subset Selection
Support Vector Machines and Regularized Learning


11 Jul 2011–17 Jul 2011
Summer school on Cooperative Cognitive Control for Autonomous
Underwater Vehicles

jacobs-university.de, Bremen (Germany)
Work with state of the art marine robotics equipment and to engage in practical experiments.
introduction to an Open Source marine robotics simulator featuring among others 3D visualization and
physics
The equipment used in the summer school for hands-on experiences included complete AUV as well
as core components like different types of thrusters, sonars, cameras, attitude and acceleration
sensors, underwater modems and ranging. In addition to an introduction to the different components,
the summer school concentrates in its sessions on multi-robot aspects of higher level control including
cooperative 2D and 3D SLAM, navigation, and control.


23 May 2011–27 May 2011
Medical Robotics PhD Course
Politecnico Di Milano
Golgi 39,, Milano (Italy)

Sep 2007–Sep 2008
MSc Robotics
Postgraduate degree
University of Plymouth, Plymouth (UK)
Robotics and control, Programming for Distributed and Embedded
Systems, Interactive intelligent systems, Sensors and actuators, Artificial
vision systems, Natural language interfaces, Autonomy and intelligence,
Advanced information technology, Simulation of engineering systems,
Systems approach to project management.


Sep 2005–Sep 2007
BSc Robotics
Graduate
University of Plymouth, Plymouth (UK)
electrical and electronic principles of robotic systems, diagnostic skills,
electrical principles, digital and analogue electronics, mathematics,
computer control and robotics, sensors, industrial standard software
platforms for system control and monitoring, machine vision, behavioural
computing and design for entertainment systems


Objectives

To investigate and develop socially inspired techniques whereby through interaction with a human a robot learns patterns and limits for its own and the human’s safety. This may be achieved through techniques of observing scenarios within a domestic environment, or directly from teaching signals generated by the human partner. For example the robot could learn, via observation of human behaviour in the house, that it is important for a human to always be present if the cooker is on a high setting and warn the person accordingly if this is not the case. In direct interaction with the robot teaching signals could be used to indicate to the robot as to what is a safe and preferred interaction distance or for example areas in the house which would be unsafe for the robot to enter.


Expected Results

Over time and though interaction the robot would learn the safety procedures operating within a typical household environment. These procedures may in fact be obvious to the human, and therefore not explicitly recognized, however we would expect the robot to infer these procedures from observing the human and house environments via interaction or from polling its own and environmental sensors.