Towards Privacy-Aware and Personalised Assistive Robots: A User-Centred Approach
It addresses privacy and scalability issues in assistive robotics for elderly and care-dependent individuals, though it appears incremental as it builds on existing Federated Learning methods.
This research tackles privacy concerns in assistive robots for elderly care by pioneering user-centric technologies like Federated Learning, which enables collaborative learning without sharing sensitive data to improve personalisation and user experience.
The global increase in the elderly population necessitates innovative long-term care solutions to improve the quality of life for vulnerable individuals while reducing caregiver burdens. Assistive robots, leveraging advancements in Machine Learning, offer promising personalised support. However, their integration into daily life raises significant privacy concerns. Widely used frameworks like the Robot Operating System (ROS) historically lack inherent privacy mechanisms, complicating data-driven approaches in robotics. This research pioneers user-centric, privacy-aware technologies such as Federated Learning (FL) to advance assistive robotics. FL enables collaborative learning without sharing sensitive data, addressing privacy and scalability issues. This work includes developing solutions for smart wheelchair assistance, enhancing user independence and well-being. By tackling challenges related to non-stationary data and heterogeneous environments, the research aims to improve personalisation and user experience. Ultimately, it seeks to lead the responsible integration of assistive robots into society, enhancing the quality of life for elderly and care-dependent individuals.