Human-Robot Tandem Race: Programming Robots to Follow You

Master’s students from EPFL  participated in a race where the competitors were tandems of students and robots. The challenge was part of EPFL's "Data and AI for Transportation" class, and put the students’ programming skills to the test in pursuit of enhanced methods of human-machine interaction. The students positioned themselves at the starting line, holding up signs with visual signals designed to get their robots to follow them. The algorithms that the students developed are similar to those used in self-driving cars, which enable the vehicles to recognize street signs, traffic lights, pedestrians, and other cars.