The Design Space of Social Robots

TL;DR

This paper explores the design space of social robots, highlighting key properties like interaction, autonomy, and social awareness, and discusses how emphasizing embodiment may overlook similarities with other agent types, proposing future research directions.

Contribution

It introduces a hierarchical framework for social robot design and emphasizes the need for compelling applications to advance the field.

Findings

Identifies key properties defining social robots.

Highlights the overlooked similarities with other agents.

Suggests research directions and the importance of killer apps.

Abstract

We consider the design space available for social robots in terms of a hierarchy of functional definitions: the essential properties in terms of a locus of interaction, autonomy, intelligence, awareness of humans as possessors of mental state, and awareness of humans as social interactors. We also suggest that the emphasis on physical embodiment in some segments of the social robotics community has obscured commonalities with a class of agents that are identical in all other respects. These definitions naturally suggest research issues, directions, and possibilities which we explore. Social robotics also lacks compelling 'killer apps' which we suggest would help focus the community on a research agenda.