An academic launch day introduced the upgraded Robot House as a state of the art facility that can support research in ambient-assisted and companion technology, in an authentic environment. Besides showcasing the infrastructure and data, graduate students have been involved in presenting their research during the event highlighting how the robot house enabled them in their doctoral project.

During the launch, visitors explored the robot house through different exhibits in an open atmosphere that promoted discussion and knowledge exchange. A second launch event is planned for engaging with local companies, regarding how they may benefit from the infrastructure available at the Robot House, to support their product testing.

Visitors were introduced to all Robot House technology, in particular its new robot inhabitants. Care-O-Bot 4 illustrated its integration into the house's smart equipment and greeted our guests at the front door. The robot also demonstrated its advanced interactive capabilities using LEDs, speech and gesture.

Following the performance of Fetch picking up a remote control, the necessity of flexible manipulation in care contexts was discussed. Visitors were further introduced to research undertaken by early adopters of Robot House who have already used Fetch to evaluate robot technology in care contexts. Doctoral candidates at the University of Hertfordshire introduced their projects that are investigating questions regarding robot trust or visual navigation.

Care-O-Bot manipulator demonstration

Fetch picks up a remote contol from the floor