Walk with Me: Emotional and Physiological Impact of Legged Robot Companions

Robotic technology is starting to leave enclosed industrial spaces and research labs and enter human society and communities. However, the impact of robots on humans is not well understood, and this lack of understanding limits the safety and effectiveness of their deployment. The primary objective of this research project is to investigate the emotional and physiological responses of humans walking with legged robot companions. We will employ a mixed methods approach, combining quantitative gait analysis, physiological measurements, and questionnaires, to assess human behaviour. Both the home and host institutions have unique access to legged robots, expanding their research programs in human-robot interaction to multiple types of robot morphology and locomotor methods. In addition, cross-institution training and application of interdisciplinary analysis techniques, tools, and best practices will enable a more holistic assessment of human responses. This collaborative research project is vital towards advancing our understanding of human behaviour towards interactive machines and how to design and deploy these robots aligned with human-centred principles.

Faculty Supervisor:

Amy Wu

Student:

Partner:

The University of Tokyo

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

Queen's University

Program: