Computational Approach to Abstract Concepts and Words (Manchester)

Accompanying events: 12-14 September 2022
Main workshop: 14-16 September 2022

Computational Approach to Abstract Concepts and Words

This workshop focuses on the computational modeling approaches to studying the embodied aspects of abstract concepts and words. It will include lectures on cognitive robotics and on human-robot interaction, as well as presentations form developmental psychology studies of abstract concept development.

The workshop will also include some hands-on sessions on humanoid robots (Pepper/Nao) and other platforms such as Furhat.

The training workshop was preceded by a set of meetings between the admin staff form the Universities of Warsaw and of Manchester to exchange good practice in grant application and management procedures.

Programme

14 September 2022

09:00-12:00 Micro Twinning meeting time (Kilburn 2.41 and 2.43)

Lunch

13:30-15:00 Session on Grant Planning and Application Session

Sarah Chatwin, Natalia Stefanovich & Mark Booth

15:30-17:30 Session on Training on PhD and career planning

Applying for postdoctoral grants (Angelo Cangelosi)

A success story: From MSCA Fellowship to academic and entrepreneur (Martin Stoelen, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, HVL Robotics research group).

Talks on success stories for ESR/PhD application (Baris Serhan, Luca Raggioli, Rahul Singh Maharjan & Mehdi Hellou):

15 September 2022

09:30-11:00 Session on Cognitive Robotics and Human-Robot Interaction

Modelling abstract and numerical concepts (Alessandro Di Nuovo, Sheffield Hallam University)

Counting in humanoid robots (Leszek Pecyna, King’s College London)

11:30-13:00 Session on Human-Robot Interaction

HRI, trust and development (Thusha Rajendran, Edinburgh Centre for Robotics)

Human-robot interaction (Marta Romeo)

Lunch

14:00-17:30 Session on Robot Programming Labs

Introduction to robots middleware and Pepper demo (Samuele Vinanzi)

Manchester Robotics Puzzlebot tutorial (Puzzlebot Team)

16 September 2022

09:30-11:00 Developmental psychology

Development psychology (Thea Cameron-Faulkner)

Abstract words in development (Gabriella Vigliocco, University College London)

11:30-13:00 Developmental psychology and robotics

Theory of Mind, Social Cognition and HRI in a lifespan perspective (Antonella Marchetti, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan)

Experimental and developmental approaches (Katherine Twomey)

Lunch

14:00-15:30 How to get your PhD (Gavin Brown)

15:30-16:30 Robot Programming Labs with Furhat robot (Chuang Yu and CoroLab Team)