NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in Korea

Hilton William M, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds William Hilton of Drexel University to conduct a research project in Engineering during the summer of 2013 at the HuboLab in Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in Daejeon. The project title is "Enabling a Humanoid Robot to Play Piano Through Improved Hands." The host scientist is Jun Oh. The aim of this research project is to integrate a pair of robotic hands capable of playing a standard piano into the design of the next generation Hubo humanoid developed at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). The Fellow works in Dr. Youngmoo Kim's Music Entertainment Technology lab (MET-lab) at Drexel University, where a goal is to enable humanoid robots to play in music ensembles with human performers. Hubo's current hands are optimal for gripping large objects, because they have underactuated fingers that passively curl around an object. However, because they are underactuated, they do not have the precision control needed to play most musical instruments. The Fellow is leading a team at MET-lab to develop a new set of inexpensive dexterous hands that will have 15 degrees of freedom, allowing Hubo to play piano. At HuboLab, the Fellow is continuing to develop the hands and is working with the Korean counterparts to connect them to Hubo's electrical, mechanical, and software systems. Although the specific motivation for the current project is music, the applications of dexterous hands are many, and improved hands will enable many advanced applications of humanoids involving fine manipulation. Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, the new hands have the potential to be adopted widely and used by many researchers, including those at the more than half a dozen universities in the U.S. with their own Hubo. Videos and demos of Hubo playing piano will engage the general public, stimulate discussion about the fusion of science and art, and encourage children to pursue fields in science and engineering. The Fellow plans to give talks and presentations about the experience in Korea to fellow students at Drexel, his alma mater the University of Cincinnati, and to neighboring high schools in the Philadelphia area.