Search for: All records

Social robots in the home will need to solve audio identification problems to better interact with their users. This paper focuses on the classification between a)naturalconversation that includes at least one co-located user and b)mediathat is playing from electronic sources and does not require a social response, such as television shows. This classification can help social robots detect a user’s social presence using sound. Social robots that are able to solve this problem can apply this information to assist them in making decisions, such as determining when and how to appropriately engage human users. We compiled a dataset from a variety of acoustic environments which contained eithernaturalormediaaudio, including audio that we recorded in our own homes. Using this dataset, we performed an experimental evaluation on a range of traditional machine learning classifiers, and assessed the classifiers’ abilities to generalize to new recordings, acoustic conditions, and environments. We conclude that a C-Support Vector Classification (SVC) algorithm outperformed other classifiers. Finally, we present a classification pipeline that in-home robots can utilize, and discuss the timing and size of the trained classifiers, as well as privacy and ethics considerations. 

Abstract—A growing population of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) chronically struggles to find and maintain employment. Previous work reveals that one barrier to employment for adults with ASD is dealing with workplace interruptions. In this paper, we present our design and evaluations of an in-home autonomous robot system that aims to improve users’ tolerance to interruptions. The Interruptions Skills Training and Assessment Robot (ISTAR) allows adults with ASD to practice handling interruptions to improve their employability. ISTAR is evaluated by surveys of employers and adults with ASD, and a week-long study in the homes of adults with ASD. Results show that users enjoy training with ISTAR, improve their ability to handle various work-relevant interruptions, and view the system as a valuable tool for improving their employment prospects.