BatheBot

This collaborative effort between mechanical engineers (CHARM Lab) and computer scientists (ILIAD Lab and REAL) explores how integrating soft and traditional robotics can improve human-robot interaction. With a global shortage of qualified healthcare personnel expected to worsen due to population aging, robotics offers potential solutions. However, traditional robots can appear intimidating and are often difficult to control, limiting their use in care settings. By pairing an off-the-shelf robotic arm with a soft pneumatic gripper, we aim to make previously challenging care tasks, such as bathing, more feasible and approachable for robotic assistance in caregiving environments.