JOÃO SILVÉRIO

Robotics Researcher

Robot Learning and Interaction Group
Idiap Research Institute

My goal is to create new algorithms that allow robots to learn complex motor skills from humans. In my work I exploit probabilistic machine learning techniques in combination with classical robotics concepts, (optimal) control and, recently, some reinforcement learning. I usually experiment with uni- and bi-manual manipulation applications as well as physical collaboration/interaction with humans.

Check the Publications section to learn more about my work :)

News & Updates

[New] 5/5/2020 - Paper accepted at R:SS 2020! Great collaboration with Thibaut Kulak in the context of his PhD research. Check Publications for details.
2/1/2020 - Workshop on Interactive Robot Learning accepted at ICRA'20!
1/7/2019 - I joined the Idiap Research Institute as a postdoctoral researcher, where I will be working with the Robot Learning and Interaction group! :)
28/6/2019 - Paper "Uncertainty-aware imitation learning using kernelized movement primitives" accepted at IROS'19! This work leverages epistemic and aleatoric uncertainties to make the robot both safe and optimal when learning from demonstrations. Check Publications for details.
23/3/2019 - Co-authored paper Kernelized Movement Primitives accepted for publication at IJRR! This work addresses motor skill learning by imitation, with a particular focus on generalization and multi-dimensional inputs.
8/10/2018 - Great news! Our paper on learning task priorities from demonstrations has been accepted at the IEEE Transactions on Robotics! Check the Publications section for details.
19/9/2018 - One paper accepted at Humanoids'18!
30/6/2018 - Three papers accepted at IROS'18! Check Publications section for details.
15/1/2018 - Good news! Our two submissions have been accepted at ICRA'18!
29/8/2017 - New co-authored arXiv pre-print Kernelized Movement Primitives available in Publications.
21/7/2017 - New pre-print Learning Competing Constraints and Task Priorities from Demonstrations of Bimanual Skills (under review at IEEE Transactions on Robotics) available.
6/7/2017 - The co-authored arXiv pre-print Generalized Task-Parameterized Movement Primitives (currently under review for publication at ICRA'18) is now available in Publications.
19/4/2017 - I successfully defended my PhD Thesis at IIT! Sincere thanks to everyone who made it possible, especially to Sylvain Calinon, Leonel Rozo and Darwin Caldwell.