Dr. Berns and Ms. Ashok are the authors of a notable paper published in our journal Actuators (ISSN: 2076-0825).
““You Scare Me”: The Effects of Humanoid Robot Appearance, Emotion, and Interaction Skills on Uncanny Valley Phenomenon”
by Karsten Berns and Ashita Ashok
Actuators 2024, 13(10), 419; https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/13/10/419
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/13/10/419
The following is a brief interview with Dr. Berns and Ms. Ashok, in which they share their insights on the article:
1. Can you briefly introduce your latest research published in Actuators?
In our recent paper, we investigate how the appearance, emotional expressivity, and interaction skills of humanoid robots influence human perception in the context of the uncanny valley. We carried out two studies. The first was a field study in a university hallway where we observed spontaneous reactions to the robot Ameca. The second was an online evaluation of three humanoid robots, ROMAN, ROBIN, and EMAH, before and after interaction.
2. What inspired you to focus on this topic?
We see that actuator technology and humanoid design are advancing quickly, but people still sometimes react with discomfort. The uncanny valley is a strong challenge for social robotics. We were motivated to study how robot movements and interaction skills can support acceptance instead of causing unease.
3. What are the most exciting findings or innovations in your study?
We found that human reactions in the hallway varied a lot, from curiosity to unease. We also saw that impressions of human-likeness can change after interaction. EMAH and ROMAN in particular were judged differently by online participants. This shows that appearance alone does not decide acceptance. Expressive and adaptive interaction plays a key role in overcoming uncanny effects.
4. How do you see your research impacting the field of actuator technology?
Our results suggest that actuators should not only be optimized for precision or force. For social robots, expressiveness, timing, and adaptability are equally important. We hope our study encourages actuator design that supports natural and meaningful expression, which is essential for robots that need to interact with humans in daily life.
