Preliminary Prototyping of Avoidance Behaviors Triggered by a User's Physical Approach to a Robot

TL;DR

This paper presents a prototype system where a robot detects human approach and exhibits avoidance behaviors based on modeled discomfort levels, integrating affective modeling with physical responses.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to robot avoidance behaviors driven by a modeled internal discomfort state influenced by human proximity.

Findings

Discomfort accumulation correlates with interpersonal distance.

Avoidance behaviors are triggered once discomfort exceeds a threshold.

The system demonstrates a coherent link from internal state to physical avoidance actions.

Abstract

Human-robot interaction frequently involves physical proximity or contact. In human-human settings, people flexibly accept, reject, or tolerate such approaches depending on the relationship and context. We explore the design of a robot's rejective internal state and corresponding avoidance behaviors, such as withdrawing or pushing away, when a person approaches. We model the accumulation and decay of discomfort as a function of interpersonal distance, and implement tolerance (endurance) and limit-exceeding avoidance driven by the Dominance axis of the PAD affect model. The behaviors and their intensities are realized on an arm robot. Results illustrate a coherent pipeline from internal state parameters to graded endurance motions and, once a limit is crossed, to avoidance actions.