Robohub.org
 

Andrea Thomaz: Robots Learning from Human Teachers | CMU RI Seminar


by
30 March 2019



share this:

Link to video on YouTube

Abstract: “In this talk I will cover some of the recent work out of the Socially Intelligent Machines Lab at UT Austin (http://sim.ece.utexas.edu/research.html). The vision of our research is to enable robots to function in dynamic human environments by allowing them to flexibly adapt their skill set via learning interactions with end-users. We explore the ways in which Machine Learning agents can exploit principles of human social learning, and breakdown assumptions about what “data” will be like, when the source of that data is an average human teacher. I will cover our work on interactive reinforcement learning algorithms that model the attention of the teacher; coupling learning from demonstration with simulation to make the best use of valuable interactions with people; and algorithms for re-using previously learned tasks in new contexts with the help of a teacher’s hints and corrections. In the latter part of the talk, I will put on my other hat, as co-founder and CEO of Diligent Robotics (http://diligentrobots.com/about) to tell you about how we are translating our research on adapting to human environments into a commercial product. Our first product, Moxi, is a robot assistant that works alongside and supports clinical care teams in hospitals. Moxi was launched into beta trials late last year, and has been deployed in four hospitals across Texas to date.”




John Payne

            AUAI is supported by:



Subscribe to Robohub newsletter on substack



Related posts :

Robot Talk Episode 158 – Autonomous robot deliveries, with Ahti Heinla

  29 May 2026
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Ahti Heinla from Starship Technologies about their AI-powered delivery robots that operate independently on streets and pavements.

Light-activated gel could impact wearables, soft robotics, and more

  28 May 2026
In the field of ionotronics, data are transferred through ions, potentially providing a bridge between electronics and biological tissue.

Handle with care: Soft robot gripper picks ripe fruit without bruising

  27 May 2026
Stretchable fiber-optic sensors used to create a soft robot gripper.

Robot Talk Episode 157 – Generating new robot designs, with Josie Hughes

  22 May 2026
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Josie Hughes from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne about using AI to develop new designs for robotic manipulators.

Robotics Café brings together autonomous robot practitioners

  20 May 2026
Recently launched series for researchers, students and industry practitioners aims to provide a platform for students to present their work.

Table tennis robot defeats some of world’s best players – why this has major implications for robotics

  18 May 2026
Ace, from Sony AI, is the first robot to beat elite human players in competitive physical sport.

Robot Talk Episode 156 – Rugged robots for dangerous missions, with Gavin Kenneally

  15 May 2026
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Gavin Kenneally from Ghost Robotics about robot dogs for defence, security, and public safety.

Developing active and flexible microrobots

  13 May 2026
This class of robots opens up possibilities for biomedical applications.



AUAI is supported by:







Subscribe to Robohub newsletter on substack




 















©2026.02 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence