ORCID Identifier(s)

0009-0002-9407-7887

Graduation Semester and Year

Spring 2025

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science

Department

Computer Science and Engineering

First Advisor

Fillia Makedon

Second Advisor

Christoph Csallner

Third Advisor

Vassilis Athitsos

Fourth Advisor

Nicholas Gans

Abstract

Assistive robotics is a promising area for improving the quality of life of people with paralysis, specifically through assistance in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). Current state-of-the-art assistive robotic systems do not have the capability to dynamically modulate their functionality according to the cognitive fatigue level of the user, which can negatively impact their effectiveness and usability in real-life settings.

This dissertation explores an adaptive robotic framework that adjusts its behavior depending on the cognitive fatigue level of users. The system operates in three different modes, and switches between Fully Controlled, Semi-Autonomous, and Fully Autonomous modes. The overall goal is to reduce cognitive load while providing personalized assistance during HRC tasks. The system is validated using two real-world tasks - meal preparation and getting ready for work or university. The main contribution of this research is the development of a novel fatigue-aware robotic system that can adapt its behavior based on the cognitive fatigue level of the user and offer personalized assistance when needed.

Keywords

Cognitive Fatigue Detection, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Human-Robot Interaction, Human-Robot Collaboration, Adaptive Framework, Assistive Robotics, Multimodal Data Analysis, Machine Learning, Deep Learning

Disciplines

Computer Engineering

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Available for download on Tuesday, November 11, 2025

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