Project description DEENESFRITPL Helping robots assist people in crowded environments Navigating autonomously and assisting humans in crowded environments poses a significant challenge for mobile robots. These robots are programmed to stop when they approach obstacles or come too close to people to avoid collisions, which prevents them from effectively operating in densely frequented areas. The EU funded CROWDBOT project aims to bridge the gap in knowledge regarding close interactions between robots and humans during navigation tasks. By enhancing robot sensing, cognitive and navigation abilities, CROWDBOT seeks to enable mobile robots to safely manoeuvre amidst crowds. Focusing on realistic scenarios, including a wheelchair, the Pepper robot, and the cuyBot, CROWDBOT will address ethical and safety concerns through dedicated guidelines. The results will have a significant impact on scientific and industrial applications, such as robot assisted crowd traffic management. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective CROWDBOT will enable mobile robots to navigate autonomously and assist humans in crowded areas. Today’s robots are programmed to stop when a human, or any obstacle is too close, to avoid coming into contact while moving. This prevents robots from entering densely frequented areas and performing effectively in these high dynamic environments. CROWDBOT aims to fill in the gap in knowledge on close interactions between robots and humans during navigation tasks. The project considers three realistic scenarios: 1) a semi-autonomous wheelchair that must adapt its trajectory to unexpected movements of people in its vicinity to ensure neither its user nor the pedestrians around it are injured; 2) the commercially available Pepper robot that must navigate in a dense crowd while actively approaching people to assist them; 3) the under development robot cuyBot will adapt to compact crowd, being touched and pushed by people. These scenarios generate numerous ethical and safety concerns which this project addresses through a dedicated Ethical and Safety Advisory Board that will design guidelines for robots engaging in interaction in crowded environments. CROWDBOT gathers the required expertise to develop new robot capabilities to allow robots to move in a safe and socially acceptable manner. This requires achieving step changes in a) sensing abilities to estimate the crowd motion around the robot, b) cognitive abilities for the robot to predict the short term evolution of the crowd state and c) navigation abilities to perform safe motion at close range from people. Through demonstrators and open software components, CROWDBOT will show that safe navigation tasks can be achieved within crowds and will facilitate incorporating its results into mobile robots, with significant scientific and industrial impact. By extending the robot operation field toward crowded environments, we enable possibilities for new applications, such as robot-assisted crowd traffic management. Fields of science engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcolorsengineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringaircraftnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencesartificial intelligencecomputer visionengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringrobotics Programme(s) H2020-EU.2.1.1. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Main Programme Topic(s) ICT-25-2016-2017 - Advanced robot capabilities research and take-up Call for proposal H2020-ICT-2016-2017 See other projects for this call Sub call H2020-ICT-2017-1 Funding Scheme RIA - Research and Innovation action Coordinator INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE EN INFORMATIQUE ET AUTOMATIQUE Net EU contribution € 730 470,00 Address Domaine de voluceau rocquencourt 78153 Le chesnay cedex France See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Yvelines Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all Third-party Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure. INSTITUT NATIONAL DES SCIENCES APPLIQUEES DE RENNES France Net EU contribution € 33 300,00 Address Avenue des buttes de coesmes 20 35708 Rennes cedex 7 See on map Region Bretagne Bretagne Ille-et-Vilaine Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE Switzerland Net EU contribution € 439 500,00 Address Batiment ce 3316 station 1 1015 Lausanne See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Vaud Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH Switzerland Net EU contribution € 706 521,25 Address Raemistrasse 101 8092 Zuerich See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE AACHEN Germany Net EU contribution € 516 625,00 Address Templergraben 55 52062 Aachen See on map Region Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Städteregion Aachen Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 ALDEBARAN France Net EU contribution € 536 250,00 Address Rue colonel pierre avia 43 75015 Paris See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 599 993,75 Address Gower street WC1E 6BT London See on map Region London Inner London — West Camden and City of London Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 LOCOMOTEC GMBH Germany Net EU contribution € 435 000,00 Address Am hasenberg 3 86899 Landsberg am lech See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Bayern Oberbayern Landsberg am Lech Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
