Researchers discover that harmonising the motion between humans and robots enhances belief between them.
These breakthroughs have the potential to significantly boost the efficacy of human-robot collaborations in real-world settings, enabling more seamless interactions between humans and robots that benefit customers in a manner akin to emergency responders working harmoniously with robots to achieve better outcomes over time.
As robots interact with people in everyday settings, they may utilize subtle cues of physical proximity and body language to gauge trust levels, serving as a vital metric for assessing human-robot rapport?
According to Dr. Edmund Hunt, lead creator and professor at the University of Bristol’s College of Science and Engineering, individuals tend to maintain socially accepted distances from others during interactions, with physical proximity significantly influencing engagement levels.
That’s true for human-robot interaction just as well. People quickly grasp the intention behind robotic movements when they exhibit goal-directed behavior that is easily understandable.
Can collective movement patterns between humans and cellular robots influence public perception of the robot, potentially impacting levels of trust?
The workforce hypothesizes that when robots move in harmony with humans, trust is fostered – conversely, if a user distrusts a robot, coordination is compromised.
Citizens at ‘Sparks Bristol’ were partnered with two cellular rover robots to imagine themselves as firefighters investigating a building following a fire, leveraging the robots to assess the structure’s safety.
The workforce utilized an ultrasound monitoring system to track both human and robotic motions seamlessly. Research has found robust statistical evidence that synchronization between human and robotic movement patterns can lead to changes in an individual’s self-reported beliefs when the robot is within a proximity of approximately two metres. Customers reporting a decline in faith towards the robots were found to mimic their actions significantly less often.
Motion could potentially serve as a trigger for robots to identify issues with their users’ trust in them, prompting proactive measures to rectify or reinforce that trust, such as apologizing for errors or offering restitution.
As Dr. Hunt observed, “In the near future, humans and robots will increasingly collaborate in teams, fostering a need for mutual trust among colleagues – both organic and artificial.”
“We found conclusive evidence that collective movement of humans and robots in harmony enhances trust – and conversely, when trust is breached, this synchronized co-activity becomes severely impaired.”
“This could potentially signal the need for faith restoration – ensuring that a human-robot mission remains successful even when plans fail.”
The workforce intends to further investigate the causal link between waning trust and diminished economic synchronization. Establishing whether an interruption affects a participant’s ability to synchronize with robotic coworkers is crucial, as this scenario may not present a realistic expectation. This could further incorporate investigating various forms of subtle, non-verbal communication tailored to non-anthropomorphic robots, including visual cues like indicator lights or auditory signals, which might shape the development and sustenance of understanding.
