Masaya Iwasaki

Since robots are often disregarded in public interactions, many studies have examined how nonverbal cues and dialogue strategies encourage users to initiate engagement. However, the impact of robot “movement” remains insufficiently investigated. This study examined the psychological effects of movement behavior on willingness to engage in dialogue in a scenario where a mobile guide robot leads people to a stationary robot. A field experiment in a shopping mall showed that guidance by a mobile robot significantly increased dialogue duration, whereas no correlation was found between moving distance and willingness to engage. These results suggest that physical commitment induced by guided movement may enhance user motivation, and that interaction designs leveraging movement behavior may be important for advancing the social implementation of interactive robots.

Various customer service robots’ teleoperation interfaces (I/Fs) have been developed for human-robot collaboration. However, a previous study has indicated a lack of operator enjoyment. This study aims to design an I/F that elicits operator enjoyment and identifies the factors that contribute to this enjoyment. We developed two I/Fs: a high degree of freedom I/F and a gradual flexibility degree of freedom I/F based on gamification to elicit operator enjoyment. Using these I/Fs, we conducted a field study in a real shopping mall to investigate the operators’ experiences. As a result, the operators in this experiment greatly enjoyed using our I/Fs. The results showed that our I/Fs could elicit operator enjoyment with the following three I/F factors suggested as potentially important design guidelines: ease of use through anonymity, moderate restriction of freedom, and sharing experiences with a group of operators.

Service robots that coexist with humans in everyday life have become more common, and they have provided customer service in physical shops around the world in recent years. However, their potential in effective sales strategies has not been fully realized due to their low social presence. This study aims to clarify what kind of robot behavior enhances the social presence of service robots and how it affects human–robot interaction and purchasing behavior. We conducted two experiments with a sales robot, Pepper, at a retail shop in Kyoto. In Experiment 1, we showed that the robot’s social presence increased and that customers looked at the robot longer when the robot understood human gaze information and was capable of shared attention. In Experiment 2, we showed that the probability of customers picking up products increased when the robot suggested products based on the humans’ degree of attention from gaze and posture information. These results indicate that the robot’s ability to understand and make utterances about a customer’s orientation and attention effectively enhances human–robot communication and purchasing motivation.

Mobile robots are increasingly being utilized as guides in various settings. Ensuring efficient and hospitable interactions between robots and individuals is crucial for their successful implementation. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding the specific robot behaviors that can effectively guide individuals to their destinations while providing a sense of hospitality. In this study, we investigate two robot behaviors: “vertical oscillation motion” and “looking back motion,” with the objective of identifying behaviors that can optimize efficiency and hospitality in a guide robot. The vertical oscillation motion replicates the natural up-and-down movement of the human body during walking, while the looking back motion establishes eye contact and conveys a sense of hospitality. To evaluate the effectiveness of these behaviors, we conducted experiments with actual visitors at a shopping mall. Participants were exposed to the robot's behaviors and their responses were analyzed through questionnaires and interviews. The results revealed that the looking back motion successfully conveyed the robot's hospitality, while the vertical oscillation motion instilled a sense of urgency in individuals. However, it was found that only the looking back motion effectively motivated individuals to promptly commence walking towards the robot. These findings highlight the significance of incorporating specific robot behaviors to enhance both efficiency and hospitality in guiding individuals to their destinations. By understanding the impact of these behaviors, we can develop guide robots that accommodate a larger number of individuals while increasing their satisfaction. Future research endeavors should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of these behaviors in real-world environments, ensuring their practical applicability.