Project Description:
The VARM software addresses University of Maryland Neuromotor Control and Learning Laboratory (NMCL) researcher Geoffrey Short’s need for a more flexible and versatile experimental setup for human-robot interaction research. The program virtually replicates the spatial environment and physical interactions of the real-world assistive robot trials discussed in the paper The Sense of Agency in Assistive Robotics Using Shared Autonomy by Collier et al. The research focuses on monitoring sense of agency, the feeling that one’s actions have their intended effects in the environment, during task completion with the aid of robotic systems. Additionally, the software will integrate with electroencephalogram (EEG) devices currently used by NMCL to support the research goal of identifying neurological biomarkers for sense of agency. The system is compatible with existing NMCL machines and other hardware to minimize costs and allow for potential integration with other simulation tools.
