From Human Intent to Robotic Manipulation: Industrial and Assistive Applications

Invited seminar at Peking University on October 29, 2026, hosted by Prof. Hangxin Liu.

Abstract

Translating human intent into robotic action requires estimating user intent and executing it under physical and environmental constraints. This talk presented my research on human–robot interaction and manipulation for assistive and industrial applications, from wearable interfaces and prosthetic control to shared autonomy for mobile manipulators. I discussed methods for integrating user commands with perception and control in prosthetic and robotic arms and hands, as well as in quadruped robots equipped with arms. The industrial applications are motivated by an ongoing collaboration with Petrobras on robotic inspection and maintenance of offshore platforms. Examples include language-guided grasping under partial observation and shared control for operating industrial mechanisms, with an emphasis on combining operator input with collision-aware motion planning. I also introduced HiveBoard, an open, modular benchmark for robotic and prosthetic manipulation built from 3D-printed mechanisms, with simulation assets and common evaluation protocols. I presented results from a cross-laboratory study on eight platforms and discussed how the benchmark supports reproducible evaluation and demonstration collection across control modes, from teleoperation to learning-based policies. The talk ended with an overview of the USP Robotics Center, Brazil, and opportunities for collaboration.