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ROB 204: Introduction to Human-Robot Systems at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Leia Stirling, Joseph Montgomery, Mark Draelos, Christoforos Mavrogiannis, Lionel P. Robert, Odest Chadwicke Jenkins

TL;DR

This paper presents ROB 204, a UM undergraduate course that teaches human-robot interaction within sociotechnical design through a Learn-Reinforce-Integrate approach. It describes a structured curriculum of lectures, labs, and assessments focused on human perception, cognition, HRI, ethics, and usability, culminating in a nurse-assistant robot design evaluated via stakeholder interviews and usability studies. The authors report positive student takeaways about aligning robot requirements with human capabilities and the value of early user feedback for iterative design. They also provide practical teaching recommendations for sophomore-level HRI education, including non-anthropomorphic design, collaborative learning, content reinforcement, and user-study labs. Together, these contribute a scalable framework for embedding human-centered, ethics-aware robotics education within an undergraduate program.

Abstract

The University of Michigan Robotics program focuses on the study of embodied intelligence that must sense, reason, act, and work with people to improve quality of life and productivity equitably across society. ROB 204, part of the core curriculum towards the undergraduate degree in Robotics, introduces students to topics that enable conceptually designing a robotic system to address users' needs from a sociotechnical context. Students are introduced to human-robot interaction (HRI) concepts and the process for socially-engaged design with a Learn-Reinforce-Integrate approach. In this paper, we discuss the course topics and our teaching methodology, and provide recommendations for delivering this material. Overall, students leave the course with a new understanding and appreciation for how human capabilities can inform requirements for a robotics system, how humans can interact with a robot, and how to assess the usability of robotic systems.

ROB 204: Introduction to Human-Robot Systems at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

TL;DR

This paper presents ROB 204, a UM undergraduate course that teaches human-robot interaction within sociotechnical design through a Learn-Reinforce-Integrate approach. It describes a structured curriculum of lectures, labs, and assessments focused on human perception, cognition, HRI, ethics, and usability, culminating in a nurse-assistant robot design evaluated via stakeholder interviews and usability studies. The authors report positive student takeaways about aligning robot requirements with human capabilities and the value of early user feedback for iterative design. They also provide practical teaching recommendations for sophomore-level HRI education, including non-anthropomorphic design, collaborative learning, content reinforcement, and user-study labs. Together, these contribute a scalable framework for embedding human-centered, ethics-aware robotics education within an undergraduate program.

Abstract

The University of Michigan Robotics program focuses on the study of embodied intelligence that must sense, reason, act, and work with people to improve quality of life and productivity equitably across society. ROB 204, part of the core curriculum towards the undergraduate degree in Robotics, introduces students to topics that enable conceptually designing a robotic system to address users' needs from a sociotechnical context. Students are introduced to human-robot interaction (HRI) concepts and the process for socially-engaged design with a Learn-Reinforce-Integrate approach. In this paper, we discuss the course topics and our teaching methodology, and provide recommendations for delivering this material. Overall, students leave the course with a new understanding and appreciation for how human capabilities can inform requirements for a robotics system, how humans can interact with a robot, and how to assess the usability of robotic systems.
Paper Structure (5 sections, 3 figures, 1 table)

This paper contains 5 sections, 3 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Technical Topics and Schedule
  3. Teaching Methodologies
  4. Discussion
  5. Conclusion

Figures (3)

  • Figure 1: The University of Michigan Robotics curriculum includes different pathways for students to gain breadth of knowledge, while also enabling selection of courses to build knowledge depth.
  • Figure 2: Labs 1 and 2 teach user interface and control strategies. Students build their own physical interface (bottom) to control a simulated Canadarm (top). Exercises teach control from fixed and local coordinate frames and effect of system order (e.g., controlling position vs. velocity).
  • Figure 3: Labs 3 and 4 teach trust calibration for robots. Students perform a series of navigation tasks with the Amazon Astro in a maze with varied obstacles. Students rate their level of confidence in the robot's ability to successfully carry out the tasks.