Abstract: We present the deployment of a 16-DoF dual-arm mobile manipulator as an on-stage actor in the MIT2016 Pageant, a 60 minute live play performed for the centennial celebration of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus move from Boston to Cambridge. The robot performed using expressive motions, navigated a 250ft-long thrust stage through a wireless connection, and was directed remotely by a human operator using a shared autonomy system. We report on the technical framework and human-robot interaction that enabled the performance, including motion planning, coordination of action with human actors, and the challenges in navigation, manipulation, perception and system reliability.

HRI'17 Abstract: PDF

Link: [ACM Library]

Cite as: Claudia Pérez-D’Arpino, Peter Agoos, Andrew Zamore, David Gammons, Evie Kyritsis, Julie Shah. A Theatrical Mobile-Dexterous Robot Directed through Shared Autonomy. In Proceedings of 2017 Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI2017) Companion, Vienna, Austria, 2017.

Video Production:

Footage: Benjamin Claman for MIT School of Engineering. Additional footage provided by Agoos D-zines LLC.

Editing: Benjamin Claman for MIT School of Engineering, Claudia Pérez-D'Arpino.

Special thanks to Lillie Paquette / MIT School of Engineering.