Engineering the Interaction of a Humanoid Robot Pepper with Post-Stroke Patients During Training Tasks

Abstract

Engineering the dialog of a humanoid robot like Pepper with human beings is challenging. The software from Softbanks allows the programming of spoken sentences and the understanding of specific words for apps on the robot. However, we recognized that the fexibility of the software is limited in this way. Therefore, we developed tools based on state machines that run on a server and communicate with the robot. In this way Pepper becomes a kind of thin robot. The paper discusses the architecture of the software, its advantages and the tools used within our project E-BRAiN (Evidence-Based Robot Assistance in Neurorehabilitation). Additionally, one of our identified interaction patterns is discussed.