The Development of Optimal Motion HRI Design for Cafe Service Robots

Abstract

Background Developing an appropriate human-robot interaction(HRI) design is essential for non-humanoid robots, such as collaborative robots, because it is difficult for them to express human-like emotions. However, the problem with physically prototyping HRI designs is that they require a high level of engineering knowledge and high development costs. Therefore, in this study, we develop a motion HRI design for a cafe robot, a type of non-humanoid service robot, focusing on emotional factors. In the process of evaluating the developed HRI design, we identify the possibility of utilizing virtual reality(VR) prototyping. Methods By comparing the service process of a cafe robot and a human barista, we identified interactions to apply motion HRI design. We identified the emotional elements needed for development through re-enactment experiments by actors. The actor’s movements that most appropriately expressed the emotional elements were acquired through motion capture equipment. The principles for applying the actor’s movements to the collaborative robot were established and applied to the development of the motion HRI design. To evaluate the developed motion HRI, a VR prototyping environment was constructed to evaluate preferences. Results Café Robot’s motion HRI design was developed based on emotional and kinematic factors derived from reenactment experiments and motion capture. Preference evaluation through VR prototyping showed that the motion HRI design with emotional elements was more preferred. Conclusions In this study, we develop a motion HRI design for a non-humanoid cafe robot. Even if the robot is non-humanoid, smooth interaction with customers can have a positive impact on the service quality of the robot. We also confirm the possibility of constructing a VR prototyping environment and evaluating motion HRI designs easily through it. This suggests that VR prototyping could be a new direction for designers developing motion HRI designs.