Home | Active and Interactive Robotics Lab

At the Active & Interactive Robotics Lab (A.I.R. Lab) we want to bring robots closer to people!

We conduct research on human-robot interaction (HRI) from a multidisciplinary perspective, adopting methodologies from robot control, machine learning, and human factors.

We are interested in understanding how humans interact with robots, and how to improve robot control with respect to diverse interaction scenarios. We analyze the interaction from physical aspects (e.g. maintaining physical safety and user ergonomics) and social aspects (e.g. perception, acceptance, ethics). In particular, we are interested in using these aspects within the control of the robots so that they can perform their tasks actively and efficiently, while being socially acceptable.

Our ultimate goal is to have robots seamlessly and intelligently interact with people in diverse environments including but not limited to manufacturing, home (e.g. cooking, cleaning), and long-term care institutions. The robots we utilize consist mainly of collaborative robot arms, wheeled mobile robots, and humanoid robots.

Interested in joining us? Check here.
Note:

Not considering co-ops, unless under the USRA scheme (for Spring and Fall 2025).
Considering applications for Undergraduate Research Assistant (URA) for Spring and Fall 2025 (no more openings for Winter 2025).

Latest news

We showcased our IISYest Baker solution at the Hannover Messe 2024 as one of the three finalists at the KUKA Innovation Award!

The team, Collaborative Deliciousness is formed by students and researchers of the University of Waterloo Faculty of Engineering. The development of the solution was strongly supported by the RoboHub, which hosted the robot and arranged all the logistics.

The team's solution for the KUKA Innovation Award 2024 is the IISYest Baker - a robotic solution that revolutionizes craft bakeries by enabling human-robot collaboration, answering to this year's theme "Robots for the People".

This innovative system allows bakers to seamlessly and safely integrate baking processes, enabling the robot to assist in creating artisanal-grade pastries. As the perfect helper in a bakery setting, the IISYest baker merges traditional techniques with modern technology, ensuring precision and efficiency in every batch of pastries it produces.

Prof. Yue Hu participated together with team members Cheng Tang (2nd-year undergraduate student in Computer Engineering), and Jeffrey Lee (first-year MASc student in Mechatronics Engineering). This was the first time that the University of Waterloo was selected as a finalist in this prestigious international competition.

Our paper on active physical human-robot interaction, which resulted from collaborations between social science and robotics, was finally published in the ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction! Thanks to Dr. Naoko Abe for her efforts in authoring this paper.

Check the paper here: Human Understanding and Perception of Unanticipated Robot Action in the Context of Physical Interaction