Human-Robot Interaction Final Report for DARPA/NSF Study on Human-Robot Interaction
Erika Rogers, Robin Roberson Murphy · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · 2002
As part of a DARPA/NSF Study on Human-Robot Interaction, an interdisciplinary workshop was conceived, which would allow roboticists to interact with psychologists, sociologists, cognitive scientists, communication experts and human-computer interaction specialists to discuss common interests in the field of Human-Robot Interaction, and to establish a dialogue across the disciplines for future collaborations.Over sixty representatives from academia, government and industry gathered together on the campus of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, CA, on September 29 and 30, 2001, and the results of that meeting are presented in this Final Report.We include initial work that was done in preparation for the workshop, links to keynote and other presentations, and a summary of the findings, outcomes and recommendations that were generated by the participants.A brief overview of the findings of the study is included here: Objectives of the StudyThe purpose of this study was to provide a forum where roboticists could interact with psychologists, sociologists, cognitive scientists, communication experts and human-computer interaction specialists to explore the social interaction "space" between humans and robots.A sharing of ideas and philosophies as well as more concrete methodologies and metrics were expected to lead to the following outcomes: development of a taxonomy of issues, including identification of various dimensions of the field, identification of "grand challenges" in the area of human-robot interaction, development of a preliminary interdisciplinary roadmap which can guide and encourage research and development for this domain, establishment of a repository of resources and information tied to the roadmap.A set of preliminary questions were provided for the participants' consideration.These were designed to initiate ideas about issues and to promote further discussion during the workshop itself.In systems where humans and robots work as a team, how are tasks/responsibilities divided between the partners?How can we identify the skills needed by the robot?When can the team members (robotic or human) be interrupted?Can the robot be "over-tasked"?Can we establish a taxonomy of human-robot "relationships", and identify what levels of "interpersonal skills" the robots will need to perform effectively in these roles?Does the physical form of the robot and/or its "personality" affect how people respond to it?Does the context of the relationship also play a role (e.g., workplace vs. home, safety-critical vs. low-impact, remote vs. local, hazardous vs. benign, dependent vs. independent)?How are issues of safety and reliability impacted by the human-robot relationship?For example, what if people attribute more intelligence to the robot than it actually has?What about robots which are modeled on animal behaviors or which are new generation animal/machine hybrids -what kind(s) of interface(s) will allow humans to direct/control/interact with these types of robots or robotic communities?How can human-robot relationships be effectively studied (e.g., can the principles of user-centered design be applied to this domain)?Are there ways to build simulations in which people can *physically* interact with robots in realistic settings?Can we map current interface techniques (e.g., speech, vision, gesture, augmented/virtual reality, direct manipulation GUIs, etc.) to the various types of relationships, or do we need to develop entirely new kinds of interfaces?What kinds of methods/metrics can be developed to gauge the utility of different types of human-robot relationships?Is there a role/need for a "human-centered" approach in this domain, where human-centered implies that the purpose of technology is to serve human needs?Who is responsible for failure, and how does this impact the kinds of interfaces needed/desired?Can we identify the different kinds of people who may encounter robots during their daily lives, and map the range of their attitudes toward intelligent robots?Can we determine where these attitudes come from, and how they are influenced by demographic factors such as culture, gender, education, age, socio-economic status? Related WorkOver the last five years, numerous workshops and meetings have started to define a future vision for robotic and intelligent machines, which must work together with humans to achieve common goals.During the same period of time, there has been an increasing interest in human-centered systems, which address issues of how to achieve synergism between man and machine, and more specifically, which take a philosophical stance on building technology that serves human needs.The term "human-centered robotics", as used in the media (e.g., [Lorek 2001]), does not necessarily refer to a human-centric approach to robotic research and development.One goal of the study was to bring these sometimes disparate communities into closer contact, and to examine similarities and differences in philosophical foundations, key issues and technologies, methodologies, applications and outcomes assessment.An overview of some recent related meetings is given below.