How to conduct a Human-Robot Interaction experiment

(Press-News.org) Basic Human–Robot Interaction by Dr David O Johnson offers practical guidance and insights for conducting experiments in Human–Robot Interaction (HRI) and publishing the results in scientific journals. It includes a detailed explanation of how to conduct an HRI experiment and what to do and what not to do to get an article accepted for publication. It is tailored to those seeking to deepen their understanding of HRI methodologies, statistical measurements, and research design.

The book begins with an overview of HRI, unravelling the basics of how robots function, with a specific focus on the verbal and non-verbal aspects of influencing their interactions with humans. It serves as an essential introduction to those keen on understanding the fundamentals of HRI. A significant portion of the book is dedicated to a detailed explanation of how to conduct HRI experiments, presented as a tutorial for crafting articles destined for HRI scientific journals or conferences. The guide meticulously outlines what actions to take and what to avoid to increase the chances of article acceptance, providing invaluable insights for researchers in the field.

In the ever-evolving field of robotics, a pressing question arises: How can we enable robots to effectively serve and assist us in various tasks such as cleaning or driving? Traditional programming, notably in intricate domains like auto mechanics, may encounter limitations. This is where teaching comes into play as a promising alternative to programming. The concept of teaching, as discerned through apprenticeship by Gross and Krenn (2023), involves a human instructing a robot through speech, gestures, or demonstration (see Chapter 1). This method empowers robots to learn and adapt to individual preferences. Furthermore, robots can acquire knowledge about their surroundings, as demonstrated by an exploration robot learning the intricacies of its environment.

Interestingly, the subject matter expert guiding this learning process is not necessarily a computer scientist or a robot engineer but a human instructor proficient in teaching skills to humans. Additionally, robots have the potential to learn autonomously through trial and error, further expanding their capabilities. This exploration sheds light on the crucial role of teaching and learning in equipping robots with the competence to serve and adapt in various contexts.

The book concludes with a forward-looking perspective on current HRI trends, highlighting technological advancements, social robots, collaborative robots, and natural interaction modalities. It extends beyond technology, addressing human-centered design, user experience, long-term interaction, interdisciplinary research collaborations, and ethical considerations.

Since the case studies and examples featured in the book focus on interactions between social robots and specific demographics such as children and older adults, it is relevant for individuals working in healthcare, education, and related domains.

Covered are common statistical measurements used in HRI research and quantitative, qualitative, and meta-analyses. The concepts are illustrated with several international case studies of interactions between social robots and children and older adults and robot learning instead of programming. The final chapter explores current trends in HRI and provides insights into what to look for in the coming years. It includes an extensive reference section to help HRI researchers in all these areas.

This book will appeal to an international audience of advanced students, researchers, industry, and others who are actively engaged or interested in the field of HRI.

Basic Human–Robot Interaction retails for US$148 / £135 (hardcover) and is also available in electronic formats. To order or know more about the book, visit http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/13581.

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About the Author

Dr. David O. Johnson is an Associate Teaching Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS, USA. His research interests are in human robot interaction, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. He received his PhD in Computer Science in 2009 after working in industry for 31 years. His dissertation was entitled, Human Robot Interaction Through Semantic Integration of Multiple Modalities, Dialog Management, and Contexts. Prior to teaching at the University of Kansas, he was an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, USA. He also completed a post-doctoral assignment at the Eindhoven University of Technology in Eindhoven, NL where he assisted in the development of the HRI software for the international KSERA project. He also completed a post-doctoral assignment at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ, USA where he developed natural language processing software to automatically assess English oral proficiency for which he holds a patent. He wrote a chapter on artificial intelligence in Medical Applications of Artificial Intelligence by CRC Press. He co-authored a book called Second Language Prosody and Computer Modeling by Taylor & Francis. He is one of the principle authors on several journal and conference papers about human-robot interaction and computer modelling of language prosody. He is also a frequent reviewer for the International Journal of Social Robotics and other HRI related publications.

About World Scientific Publishing Co.

World Scientific Publishing is a leading international independent publisher of books and journals for the scholarly, research and professional communities. World Scientific collaborates with prestigious organisations like the Nobel Foundation and US National Academies Press to bring high quality academic and professional content to researchers and academics worldwide. The company publishes about 600 books and over 170 journals in various fields annually. To find out more about World Scientific, please visit www.worldscientific.com.

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