Introduction to Human-Robot Interaction

Catalog description

Introduction to Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) is an interdisciplinary course that examines how robots are designed, built, and evaluated to interact effectively, safely, and meaningfully with people. Drawing from robotics, computer science, psychology, design, and ethics, students explore physical robot systems, forms of interaction (spatial, non-verbal, and verbal), affective computing, and the societal implications of deploying robots in the real world. Through lectures, readings from contemporary research, hands-on assignments, and a semester-long project, students learn to critically evaluate HRI literature, design and implement novel human-robot interactions, and conduct thoughtful user studies with appropriate metrics and analysis. The course emphasizes technical foundations and human-centered thinking, preparing students to engage with current challenges and future directions in human-robot interaction research and practice. Offered as ECSE 323 and ECSE 423 .