Project description
Making human-robot collaboration more natural and intuitive
As AI and robotics become more common in workplaces, robots must move and interact in ways that feel safe, comfortable, and natural to people. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the EU-funded HARMONY project will develop AI-powered robot control systems inspired by the way humans naturally move. By modelling human motion and enabling robots to adapt their behaviour in real time, the project aims to improve physical collaboration between people and robots while reducing workers’ physical and mental effort. The technology could make industrial and agricultural workplaces safer and more efficient, while also supporting future applications in healthcare, such as rehabilitation and assistive exoskeletons.
Objective
AI and robotics can make industrial workplaces more adaptive, but robot acceptance depends on comfort and naturalness of interaction. Traditional kinematic approaches fail to reproduce human-like motor control, which humans associate with trust and comfort.
Drawing on the kinematic theory of rapid human movements, I will model motion as sequences of strokes, i.e. unimodal motor primitives arising from neuromuscular dynamics. By treating strokes as the building blocks of action, complex motor behaviours can be synthesized through their composition. The novelty lies in embedding these anthropomorphic traits within the trajectory-planning mechanisms of the robot, while Human-Robot physical Interaction (pHRI) takes place.
In HARMONY (Human–robot Adaptive Role MOdulation with Neuro-inspired trajectory) I will design neural networks such that stroke parameters emerge from data, increasing flexibility compared to fixed-parameter models. Since collaboration requires adaptation to a partner’s dynamics, I will integrate bio-inspired adaptive mechanisms to modulate the robot’s movement and, therefore, its leader/follower role in response to human actions. This enables the robot to reduce both physical and cognitive workload for the human partner, fostering more intuitive physical collaboration.
The project advances robotic control, aligning with MSCA goals on human-centred robotics. Impacts include safer industrial and agricultural workplaces, reduced ergonomic risks, and new healthcare applications for rehabilitation and exoskeletons. Hosted at IDSIA (USI–SUPSI, Prof. Roveda) with an eight-month secondment at UNISA (Prof. Chiacchio), the HARMONY project combines robotics, neuroscience, and AI for scientific, societal, and technological impact.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
6928 MANNO
Switzerland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.