The Social Context of Human–Robot Interactions

Exploring the differential effects of trust violations in human-human and human-robot interactions

One of the challenges of outdoor robots is developing effective portable Human-Robot-Interaction (HRI) frameworks. Hand-held devices offer a practical solution. By equipping these devices with robot software, they can be made to interact with the outdoor robots. Android devices are ideal as they are open source and can be integrated with robots powered by the Robot Operating System (ROS), also open source. However, due to the limits of rosjava, the mechanism that links ROS with android, and the conflicting modes of operation between ROS and android, current implementations of ROS-android offer limited robot applications that do not support advanced operations such as autonomous navigation and others. This paper implements selective compartmentalization to overcome these limitations, by combining ROS with android through a number of ROS and android bridges that would facilitate the development of advanced robot applications. Through the proposed method, authors were able to develop a portable HRI framework that allowed human operators to supervise an outdoor mobile robot while it performed an autonomous task. From their mobile devices, users were able to initialize the robot, configure its motion, and monitor its progress. Also, users were able to reprogram the robot to perform new tasks (not previously planned) through a creative use of features offered in the developed HRI framework. Also, user cognitive effort was reported to be low as evident by the positive score on the NASA-TLX scale test which was corroborated with robot performance data. This paper presents the detailed development and implementation steps.

There is an increasing interest in considering, measuring, and implementing trust in human-robot interaction (HRI). New avenues in this field include identifying social means for robots to influence trust, and identifying social aspects of trust such as a perceptions of robots’ integrity, sincerity or even benevolence. However, questions remain regarding robots’ authenticity in obtaining trust through social means and their capacity to increase such experiences through social interaction with users. We propose that the dyadic model of HRI misses a key complexity: a robot’s trustworthiness may be contingent on the user’s relationship with, and opinion of, the individual or organisation deploying the robot (termed here, Deployer). We present a case study in three parts on researching HRI and a LEGO® Serious® Play focus group on care robotics to indicate how Users’ trust towards the Deployer can affect trust towards robots and robotic research. Our Social Triad model (User, Robot, Deployer) offers novel avenues for exploring trust in a social context.

The topic of human robot interaction (HRI) is an important part of human computer interaction (HCI). Robots are more and more used in a social context, and in this paper we try to formulate a research agenda concerning ethical issues around social HRI in order to be prepared for future scenarios where robots may be a naturally integrated part of human society. We outline different paradigms to describe the role of social robots in communication processes with humans, and connect HRI with the topic of persuasive technology in health care, to critically reflect the potential benefits of using social robots as persuasive agents. The ability of a robotic system to conform to the demands (behaviors, understanding, roles, and tasks) that arise from the place the robot is designed to perform, affect the user and his/er sense of place attachment. Places are constantly changing, and so do interactions, thus robotic systems should continually adjust to change by modifying their behavior accordingly.Keywordshuman-robot interactionpersuasive agentsocial robotsethicsplace attachment

Enhancing Humans Trust in Robots through Explanations

People are increasingly encountering robots in public spaces. To increase the robustness of such in-the-wild robotic applications and to achieve their designed outcomes, existing research focuses on improving the technical reliability of robots and identifying effective strategies to prevent or recover from technical failures. However, in human-robot interaction (HRI), a user’s perception of a robot failure may not necessarily relate to technical issues. We focus on understanding users’ perception of robot behaviours and interactions within the context of a public space. In our exploratory study using a novel participatory design methodology, participants designed robot behaviours for applications in public spaces, and tested their design both in a simulator and on the physical robot. We investigate how participants’ perception and expectations change during this iterative participatory prototyping process, especially when the robot exhibits erratic or unexpected behaviours. Our work provides insights on users’ perception of robot failures, and how users’ design of robot behaviours shifts as they observe the robot within the spatial and social context.

One ambitious goal in current robotics research is to build robots that can interact with humans in an intuitive way and can do so outside the lab in real world situations and environments such as private homes or public places. Toy robots like, e.g., Sony's AIBO are already being sold successfully for entertainment purposes, but they usually lack sophisticated human-like interaction capabilities preventing non-expert users to instruct them for useful tasks. We have developed a robot that is capable of processing multi-modal instructions and can, therefore, be instructed interactively in a social situation. This paper gives an overview of the components of the system and their integration. The system performance is described in detail based on observations from human-robot interactions and processing times to identify critical system components and further research directions. Finally, we report on first human-robot interactions with our robot BIRON (BIelefeld Robot companiON) being situated in a real home environment. These interactions demonstrate that our robot is able to interact with users in a real home environment and can thus serve as a basis for comprehensive user studies focussing on embodied interaction for social learning.

Actually, the research on human interactive robot (HIR) has been a topic of both science fiction and academic speculation for a long time. The origin of HIR as a discrete issue was stated by 20th century author Isaac Asimov in 1941, in his novel “I, Robot”. He stated the Three Laws of Robotics1 as, “ a. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. b. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. c. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. ” The three laws of robotics determine the idea of safe interaction which constitutes the basic rules of HIR. With the advances of artificial intelligence (AI), the HIR could eventually have more proactive behaviours, planning their motion in complex unknown environments. Nowadays, HIR are artificial agents with capacities of perception and action in the human’s environment. Their use has been tended to be found in the most technologically advanced societies in critical domains as search and rescue, military battle, law enforcement, entertainment, hospital care, etc. These domains of applications imply a closer interaction with human. The concept of closeness is to be taken in its full meaning, HIR and humans not only share the workspace but also share goals in terms of task achievement. The HIR has to adapt itself to human’s way of expressing desires and fulfill its task. Taking lifting up human in elder care for example, the human interactive robot RI-MAN, designed by the RIKEN Bio-Mimetic Control Research Center, communicates with human by listening and speaking, which makes it understand the human will (Onish, Luo et al. 2007). To fulfil the task, it also estimates the attitude of human body in real-time by tactile sense (Mukai, Onishi et al. 2008). This example contains two aspects of HIR, one is to understand the human mind and the other is to accomplish the manipulation. The former is based on AI techniques, like language comprehension, and the latter is relied on force control. On the other hand, human’s environments are much more complex. Thus, the HIR needs perceiving and understanding capacities to build dynamic models of its surroundings. It

Towards establishing future-oriented relations between humans and robots, not only verbal, but also nonverbal robot functions have been studied. However, it is not clear how these different functions should be combined and implemented in robots in order to achieve ‘natural’ human-robot communication or interaction. In this paper, we focus on the timing for the coordination between utterance as a verbal function and body motion as a nonverbal function. To begin with, we investigated the temporal order and correlation between utterance and gesture in an interpersonal (human-human) interaction scenario as a preliminary experiment (Experiment 1). Then, we controlled the robot's response timing based on findings of the first experiment and evaluated the effectiveness of the robot's timing control in human-robot interaction (Experiment 2). It was shown that elderly participants significantly preferred the controlled robot's response. In addition, the timing of utterance and gestures affected the impression of the robot and interpretation of the verbal message. These results are important findings for designing socially interactive robots for the aging society.

In the design of service robots, a key research focus has been on Human Robot Interaction (HRI) required in service applications. HRI is one of the critical factors that determines the acceptability of a service robot. The user acceptance of a service robot and its applications is highly related to HRI, as HRI affects the user perception and user experience related to the robot. In this paper, a new design approach is proposed for designing and implementing HRI for service robot applications designed for real scenarios in the real-world environment. The objective of this design approach is to facilitate inter-disciplinary collaborations, which are essential for HRI research and for developing successful products. The proposed design approach was used in the design of the healthcare service robot “Cafero” developed at the University of Auckland in collaboration with the Electronic and Telecommunication Research Institute (ETRI) and Yujin Robot Company Ltd. of Korea. Vital signs measurement, medication management, entertainment and falls detection were implemented as service applications of Cafero. In the design process, UML and UMLi modelling diagrams were used to model the robot’s multi-modal and interactive behaviour. Interaction design patterns were defined to represent recurring interactions or social cues in HRI using UMLi notations. The proposed design approach emphasises an iterative process to allow discovery of additional HRI requirements in the early design stage and to implement through Component-Based Software Engineering (CBSE). The design of communication initiation and user identification by Cafero is presented as a case study, in order to evaluate the proposed design approach. In this case study, enabling a service robot to act proactively to the presence of a potential user and identifying the user prior to providing healthcare services is presented. For the implementation, Open-RTM component-oriented framework was used.

From smart factories to service applications, human-robot interaction is crucial to the development of collaborative settings in which humans and robots operate side by side. Since robots in shared spaces must take into consideration variables such as human motion unpredictability and potential workplace risks, effective risk management is essential. When building these systems, striking a balance between factors such as safety, ergonomics, and operational flexibility becomes crucial. Misalignment between human purpose and robot behaviors might result in accidents or increased injury risks, especially in environments with high physical demands. One of the key challenges in human-robot interaction is handling uncertainty. The main aim of the current study is to introduce a conceptual framework for safety/risk analysis, including a hierarchy tree of the risk criteria and risks. Both human- and robot-related factors are considered. The multi-criteria decision-making procedure developed for autonomous vehicle systems is adapted for risk analysis in human-robot interaction. As a final result, the prioritized risk criteria and risks are identified. These results lay the foundation for reducing risks in the future.

Background:Conceptual literature has consistently noted that health literacy exists within a social context. This review examined how the intersection of social context and health literacy has been operationalized in quantitative, empirical research.Methods:Following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, we searched seven databases, including PubMed and CINAHL (The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), using a range of potentially relevant keywords, and we hand-searched bibliographies. Inclusion criteria were quantitative studies of any design in which measurement of health literacy and measurement of social context intersected. We identified 1,052 unduplicated articles; 34 met inclusion criteria.Key Results:We found three distinct perspectives on the intersection between health literacy and social context. Most common (n = 23) were studies measuring an association between individual health literacy and individual social capital, social support, or social engagement, particularly whether social support varied by health literacy and/or if this relationship mediated health outcomes. Another group of studies (n = 6) took the perspective that being health literate by definition included social context, including access to and/or use of social support as a domain in individual health literacy assessment. Five studies considered the social context of health literacy as an independent property measured beyond the individual level; two measured community-level health literacy and three measured health literacy capacity/concordance in caregiving dyads. The studies showed significant definitional and measurement complexity and overlap. In the most dramatic example, a similar question was used across various studies to measure (1) health literacy, (2) a social support domain in health literacy, (3) social support, and (4) a study outcome distinct from, but associated with, health literacy. Potential useful methods, such as social network analyses, were missing from the literature.Discussion:Existing quantitative research on health literacy in a social context supports more attention to this topic. This review quantified evidence, revealed gaps, noted limitations, and identified important questions for future research. [Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2017;1(2):e41–e70.]Plain Language Summary:This study systemically compiles existing quantitative empirical research (34 articles) focusing on the intersection of health literacy in the social context. We find considerable measurement complexity in the current body of work on this topic and identify three distinct perspectives that researchers have taken while considering this topic. This information will be useful for future development of this important research area.

As robots become increasingly prevalent and capable, the complexity of roles and responsibilities assigned to them as well as our expectations for them will increase in kind. For these autonomous systems to operate safely and efficiently in human-populated environments, they will need to cooperate and coordinate with human teammates. Mental models provide a formal mechanism for achieving fluent and effective teamwork during human–robot interaction by enabling awareness between teammates and allowing for coordinated action. Much recent research in human–robot interaction has made use of standardized and formalized mental modeling techniques to great effect, allowing for a wider breadth of scenarios in which a robotic agent can act as an effective and trustworthy teammate. This paper provides a structured overview of mental model theory and methodology as applied to human–robot teaming. Also discussed are evaluation methods and metrics for various aspects of mental modeling during human–robot interaction, as well as recent emerging applications and open challenges in the field.

Author's Introduction Our article outlines the need to bring together the literatures on personal and cultural identity – which have thus far been disconnected from one another. As one develops a sense of personal identity (e.g., goals, values, and beliefs), does one also develop a sense of cultural identity (e.g., how the individual and the group are prioritized, as well as attachment to and affiliation with one's ethnic, cultural, and national group)? This question is becoming increasingly important as Western countries become more and more diverse and multicultural, and as the world becomes more and more international and global. Individuals of European descent in the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, for example, are no longer insulated from other cultural streams. A generation ago, White Americans, for example, held dominion over the United States and over what ‘American culture’ was. With the advent of mass immigration of ethnic and cultural minorities, as well as globalizing technologies such as email, video conferencing, instant messaging, and virtual chatrooms, we are no longer insulated by our borders. Each of us is a citizen of the world, and this is becoming truer and truer over time. Thus, cultural identity and personal identity are increasingly likely to be related – and the ways in which they influence one another needs to be studied. How does my cultural position in my society (and in the world) influence who I am as a person? How do my cultural beliefs and worldviews influence my personal goals, values, and beliefs? Author Recommends Côté, James E., and Levine, Charles G. (2002). Identity formation, agency and culture: A social psychological synthesis . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. This book discusses personal identity within the context of culture, and it clearly sets the stage for a discussion of how personal identity is affected by cultural processes. Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen. (2002). The psychology of globalization. American Psychologist , 57 , 774–783. This article discusses the ways in which globalization affects the personal and cultural identities of people around the world. In particular, the article stresses that individuals will be exposed to various cultural streams even if they never leave their countries of origin and do not come into direct contact with people from other parts of the world. The mass exportation of Western television programs, music, dress styles, fashion, and beliefs is leading people to ‘acculturate’ to Western values and behaviors. Bosma, Harke A., and Kunnen, E. Saskia. (2001). Determinants and mechanisms in ego identity development: A review and synthesis. Developmental Review , 21 , 39–66. This article reviews the ways in which personal identity is developed in ‘individualist’ and ‘collectivist’ contexts. In more individualistic contexts, personal identity is developed through active exploration of different alternatives, commitment to one or more of these, and an in‐depth evaluation of the commitment that has been made. In more collectivistic contexts, personal identity is developed through identification with the goals, values, and beliefs of significant others. This article was one of the first to address personal identity more broadly than through a Western lens. Matsumoto, David. (2003). The discrepancy between consensual‐level culture and individual‐level culture. Culture and Psychology , 9 , 89–95. This article argues that individualism and collectivism (and related constructs such as independence and interdependence) operate differently at the between‐individual level than at the between‐culture level. When studying the interface between personal identity and cultural identity, only individual‐level conceptions of cultural identity should be used. National‐level differences in cultural identity constructs tend to be fairly small – suggesting that most of the differences are between individual people. Schwartz, Seth J., Luyckx, Koen, and Vignoles, Vivian L. (editors, forthcoming). Handbook of identity theory and research . New York, NY: Springer. This forthcoming handbook will consist of state‐of‐the‐art summaries and reviews from some of the leading identity scholars in the world. Chapters will focus on many different domains of identity, including personal and cultural identity but also including national, religious/spiritual, sexual, gender, social, and vocational identity. The book will be an important resource both for students and for professors interested in the field of identity. Sample Syllabus Please add all or a portion of a syllabus that might adopt your article and present it in a broader context to the classroom. Eg. Topics for Lecture & Discussion Week 1 – Overview (What is Identity) Cote, James E. 1996. Sociological perspectives on identity formation: The culture‐identity link and identity capital. Journal of Adolescence . 19: 417–428. A framework for understanding identity formation in an interdisciplinary fashion by addressing the relationship between culture and identity. Grotevant, Harold D. 1987. Toward a process model of identity formation. Journal of Adolescent Research . 2: 203–222. Proposes a model for conceptualizing identity formation that is developmental, contextual and life‐span in scope. Four major components are as follows: individual characteristics, contexts of development, identity process in specific domains, and interdependencies among the identity domains. Weeks 2–4 Neo‐Eriksonian Identity Perspectives (Identity Status, Identity Style, Et Cetera) Berzonsky, Michael D. 1989. Identity style: Conceptualization and measurement. Journal of Adolescent Research . 4: 268–282. A conceptualization of three styles of personal problem solving and decision making – and information orientation that actively seeks and evaluates information, a normative orientation that focuses on internalized conventions, and a diffuse orientation that avoids action until affective cues dictate behavioral reactions. This study measures a validity of a self‐report measure of these styles. Meeus, Wim. 1996. Toward a psychosocial analysis of adolescent identity: An evaluation of the epigenetic theory (Erikson) and the identity status model (Marcia). Hurrelmann, Klaus (Ed.); Hamilton, Stephen F (Ed). (1996). Social problems and social contexts in adolescence: Perspectives across boundaries . (pp. 83–104). xiv, 299 pp. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de Gruyter. This chapter discusses Erikson's identity theory and Marcia's identity status model, with application to adolescent identity. The author evaluates their empirical validity. Weeks 5–7 Social Identity Perspectives Worchel, Stephen; Morales, J. Francisco; Paez, Dario; Deschamps, Jean‐Claude (Eds.). 1998. Social identity: International perspectives. Social identity: International perspectives. xix, 263 pp. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. This books brings together the latest empirical and theoretical findings in the field of

Human robot interaction (HRI) is core to the design of service robots. The interaction during a service application determines how a user perceives the robot, which affects the user's experience and how well the user accepts the robot and its services. During the last decade, robotics service applications in close proximity to human users have been a popular research area. Research in related fields such as computer vision has also made significant advances to make available many interaction algorithms for HRI. However, we argue that there is only minimum utilization of these algorithms in the construction of HRI needed in actual service robots, despite their availability. This is partly because these algorithms have inherent limitations and only solve some of the HRI issues required in a complete service scenario in real environments. In this paper, a new general design approach is proposed to utilize modeling languages UML and UMLi to describe a service scenario and model the HRI required in a complete service. These models can be further used to elicit sometimes hidden HRI requirements from limitations in the interaction algorithms used. This approach helps multidisciplinary research to make HRI design decisions early at the design stage and guide implementation by software engineers. A user identification service scenario was designed, implemented and used as the case study of this design approach. It was integrated with a medication reminder application on a robot which was deployed and evaluated with the older people in a retirement village in New Zealand.