Shaping Expressiveness in Robotics: The Role of Design Tools in Crafting Embodied Robot Movements

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel movement-centered design approach and tools for creating expressive robotic arm movements, enhancing robot-human interaction through interdisciplinary methods and interactive design processes.

Contribution

It introduces a new pedagogical framework and a set of tools that enable engineers to craft more expressive and engaging robotic motions using interdisciplinary insights.

Findings

The toolbox effectively bridges human intent and robotic expressiveness.

Interactive tools improve the intuitiveness of designing expressive movements.

Workshop insights inform future design practices for expressive robotics.

Abstract

As robots increasingly become part of shared human spaces, their movements must transcend basic functionality by incorporating expressive qualities to enhance engagement and communication. This paper introduces a movement-centered design pedagogy designed to support engineers in creating expressive robotic arm movements. Through a hands-on interactive workshop informed by interdisciplinary methodologies, participants explored various creative possibilities, generating valuable insights into expressive motion design. The iterative approach proposed integrates analytical frameworks from dance, enabling designers to examine motion through dynamic and embodied dimensions. A custom manual remote controller facilitates interactive, real-time manipulation of the robotic arm, while dedicated animation software supports visualization, detailed motion sequencing, and precise parameter control. Qualitative analysis of this interactive design process reveals that the proposed "toolbox" effectively bridges the gap between human intent and robotic expressiveness resulting in more intuitive and engaging expressive robotic arm movements.