FABY – The Telepresence Robot

Project Overview

• A telepresence robot prototype enabling bidirectional face-to-face communication, allowing faculty to remotely guide students in lab experiments from anywhere in the world.
• Features autonomous navigation, path planning, and simultaneous localization for indoor environments with dynamic obstacles.
• The human-robot interface answers general questions about its purpose, ongoing research projects, and lab information.
• Future roadmap includes campus-wide navigation to assist students, visitors, and industry professionals.

Challenges

Autonomous Navigation System

• SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) for real-time indoor mapping and position tracking.
• Path planning algorithms for efficient route calculation in predefined environments.
• Dynamic obstacle avoidance using LiDAR and depth sensors for safe navigation.
• Predefined environment mapping with adaptive re-routing for layout changes.

Telepresence Communication

• Bidirectional video and audio streaming via an integrated display and camera system.
• Low-latency WebRTC-based communication for real-time face-to-face interaction.
• Remote control interface allowing faculty to navigate the robot to specific lab stations.
• Built-in microphone array and speaker for clear audio in noisy lab environments.

Human-Robot Interface

• Conversational AI for answering general queries about lab projects, schedules, and robot purpose.
• Touch-screen interface on the robot for on-site student interaction.
• Web-based remote dashboard for faculty to control navigation and communication.
• Gesture and voice command support for hands-free operation.

Future Vision

• Campus-wide navigation to assist students, visitors, and industry professionals beyond the lab.
• Software and hardware abstractions for modular deployment across different building layouts.
• Integration with university systems for automated lab tour scheduling and visitor guidance.
• Multi-robot fleet management for simultaneous telepresence sessions across departments.

Use Cases

• Remote Faculty Lab Assistance: Faculty guide students through experiments from anywhere in the world.
• Lab Tours & Demonstrations: Automated tours for visitors and prospective students.
• Research Collaboration: Remote researchers participate in on-site experiments via the robot.
• Campus Navigation: Future expansion to guide people across the campus.

Technology Stack