Non-Dyadic Human-Robot Interaction: Concepts and Interaction Techniques

With the increase in robot complexity and the diversity of domains in which we encounter robots, there is an increased need for research focusing on more varied aspects of human-robot interaction. While most research has focused on the dyadic interaction (one-to-one) between one human and one robot, we are currently observing a paradigm shift towards increased attention to HRI in non-dyadic systems. However, we still have limited knowledge of which interaction techniques work well for non-dyadic HRI combining human participants with multiple digital artefacts, including robots. We investigate what characterises non-dyadic HRI in various contexts, including the home and industry, and how the addition of robots affects how we interact in groups. This paper presents our research questions, preliminary results, and plans for future studies, thereby contributing to a better understanding of the concepts and interaction techniques in non-dyadic interaction in human-robot groups in various contexts.

I. Introduction

The increasing emphasis on ecologies of technologies communicating and interacting with each other (e.g., speakers, watches, lights, personal assistants, robotic vacuum cleaners) changes how we interact with technology. This shift in focus from dyadic systems, as in one technological artefact with one human, towards digital ecologies [13] brings new challenges and new ways of understanding technology and interaction. While most current research still focuses on dyadic HRI [15], we currently observe a paradigm shift towards non-dyadic interaction in a variety of contexts (e.g., domestic or indus-trial) in the field of human-robot interaction [11]. Non-dyadic human-robot interaction is more than the mere upscaling of dyadic interactions between one human and one robot [9]. Multiple humans interacting with robots add a new layer of complexity, namely human-human interaction [9]. How is the interaction affected by the presence of other humans, non-robotic technologies, and robots? How do humans interact with each other to accomplish a given robot-supported task? What type of interaction techniques are utilised in these non-dyadic settings? How does non-dyadic HRI affect the spatial and temporal dimensions of the interactions? These are just some of the questions that are relevant to answer in order to understand the current development of robots in non-dyadic settings fully.