Collision Reflex

Collision reflexes, encompassing both robotic and biological systems, are being investigated to improve safety and efficiency in response to unexpected contact. Current research focuses on quantifying the effectiveness of these reflexes through metrics like impulse transfer in robots and developing bio-inspired algorithms, such as collective conditioned reflexes in multi-robot systems and inference-based approaches for improved dialogue response quality. This work aims to enhance the robustness and speed of autonomous systems, particularly in robotics, by incorporating high-bandwidth sensing and actuation for faster, more adaptable responses to unforeseen events. The resulting advancements have implications for safer robot design, improved human-robot interaction, and more efficient autonomous operations.