Anthropomorphism in the factory: a paradigm change?

  • Authors:
  • Susanne Stadler;Astrid Weiss;Nicole Mirnig;Manfred Tscheligi

  • Affiliations:
  • University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria;University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria;University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria;University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 8th ACM/IEEE international conference on Human-robot interaction
  • Year:
  • 2013

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Abstract

In recent years there has been a tendency towards industrial robots which are cheaper in acquisition and need less expert programming and maintenance. Several approaches use a combination of humanoid and industrial robot elements. This new direction away from dull, dirty and dangerous to a functional "buddy" robot enables new HRI scenarios within the factory context towards a "shoulder-to-shoulder" cooperation. One important point is to understand users' expectations for both types of robots. We conducted a video-based focus group to explore general expectations of naive users towards functional and humanoid robots within a special factory context. A comparison of the results indicates that anthropomorphic elements in the design of robotic systems can also be imagined for industrial robots. We conclude with opportunities for these hybrid anthropomorphized functional robots in an industrial environment.