Master thesis: Interactive Dance Performed by Softbank Robotics Pepper

A Master thesis project at the interface of high-level reactive robotic control and human-robot interactions.

Robotic scripted dance is very common. One the other hand, interactive dance, in which the robot uses runtime sensory information to continuously adapts its moves to those of its (human) partner, remains challenging. Developing such a dance requires the setup of complex sensory-motor couplings in a robotic system which integrates together various sensors, action modalities and cognitive processes.

The selected candidate objective will be to develop such an interactive dance. The development of novel programming methods for runtime management of simultaneous perception and motion generation is something our department has strong experience with. This project will build on top of our know-how and existing software. The target robot on which the dance will be applied is the wheeled robot Softbank Robotics Pepper.

Beyond the control challenges, the candidate will also need to consider the human-robot interactions aspects of the dance. The dance should be inviting. Investigating what factor of the dance will make it compelling to potential human dancing partners will also part of the study.

Desirable skills

We are looking for an outstanding Master student eager to develop, under our help and supervision, top-level skills in the area of service robotics and software engineering. An open mind, as well as resilience and enthusiasm in the face of the control challenges are a must. Technical requirements are good programming knowledge in C++ and Python, as well as love for beautiful and well organized code. Previous experience in robotics (e.g. knowledge in ROS and NaoQi) would be appreciated, but is not mandatory. Good written English and communication skills. German is not required.

More information

Videos of some of our robot in action: http://vincentberenz.is.tuebingen.mpg.de/videos.html
For application or question, contact vberenz@tuebingen.mpg.de