Breathing expression for intimate communication corresponding to the physical distance and contact between human and robot

Abstract

In this paper, we propose living-being-like breathing expressions concurrent with both aspiration and utterances using a stuffed-Toy robot in order to enable intimate interactions. The focus of the research is the impression of the intimacy between the robot and the user corresponding to the physical distance of the two. From the factor analysis of the impression for the word \intimacy" and the distance between the robot and the participants, it is conjectured that the physical intimacy showed strong effects in terms of both warm empathy and tranquility.