How may I serve you?: a robot companion approaching a seated person in a helping context

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the combined results of two studies that investigated how a robot should best approach and place itself relative to a seated human subject. Two live Human Robot Interaction (HRI) trials were performed involving a robot fetching an object that the human had requested, using different approach directions. Results of the trials indicated that most subjects disliked a frontal approach, except for a small minority of females, and most subjects preferred to be approached from either the left or right side, with a small overall preference for a right approach by the robot. Handedness and occupation were not related to these preferences. We discuss the results of the user studies in the context of developing a path planning system for a mobile robot.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  A. General Literature
  A.m MISCELLANEOUS

Additional Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
      I.2.9 Robotics

General Terms:
Human Factors

Keywords:
human-robot interaction, live interactions, personal spaces, social robot, social spaces, user trials