As the fields of robotics and engineering advance, the utility of robots is no longer limited to performing simple, repetitive tasks. However, for physical robotics to be useful in real-world situations, they must be able to perform in variable and unstructured environments, as well as take into account the needs and characteristics of each individual user. This is particularly important for assistive robots being created to meet the complex needs of caregiving. 

 

This episode features Dr. Tapomayukh Bhattacharjee, Assistant Professor in Computer Science at Cornell University, and Dr. Katherine Dimitropoulou, Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine in the Occupational Therapy Program at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. 

 

They share their innovative research working with people with disabilities and other stakeholders to develop robots that can assist with activities of daily living like feeding and dressing. In their interview, they also discuss their new framework called Structuring Physically Assistive Robotics for Caregiving with Stakeholders-in-the-Loop (SPARCS), which is helping to address challenges with physical robot caregiving and accelerate the translation of this technology from the lab into everyday life.