RUNA: a multimodal command language for home robot users

This article describes a multimodal command language for home robot users, and a robot system which interprets users’ messages in the language through microphones, visual and tactile sensors, and control buttons. The command language comprises a set of grammar rules, a lexicon, and nonverbal events detected in hand gestures, readings of tactile sensors attached to the robots, and buttons on the controllers in the users’ hands. Prototype humanoid systems which immediately execute commands in the language are also presented, along with preliminary experiments of faceto-face interactions and teleoperations. Subjects unfamiliar with the language were able to command humanoids and complete their tasks with brief documents at hand, given a short demonstration beforehand. The command understanding system operating on PCs responded to multimodal commands without significant delay. This work was presented in part at the 13th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 31–February 2, 2008