Search Results (3)

From teaching technical skills to telling bedtime stories, social robots support various edutainment tasks that require smooth communication. Previous studies often emphasized the importance of the autonomy of social robots for those tasks. However, the cabling of robots with power sources and/ or host computers is often required due to technical restrictions. However, it is currently unclear if the cabling of robots makes a difference in perceived autonomy. Therefore, this study examined the influence of visible cables in different tasks on the perception of a social robot. In an online survey, participants evaluated videos of a social robot that was either equipped with a cable or not and told either a story with technical educational content or socially entertaining content. No significant differences were revealed between the cabled and the non-cabled robot, neither for the perceived autonomy nor for the associated concepts of the Godspeed questionnaire series. In addition, the story content did not influence perceived autonomy. However, the robot that told the technical content was perceived as significantly more intelligent and tended to be perceived as more likable than the robot that told the social content. Moreover, the interaction effect of cabling and story content for perceived safety just failed to reach the conventional level of significance. In the social content condition, the non-cabled robot tended to be perceived as less safe than the cabled robot. This was not true for the technical content condition. In conclusion, the results showed the importance of considering story content. Due to methodological limitations of the current study, namely, the lack of gestures accompanying the storytelling and the video-based approach, the missing effect of cabling in regard to perceived autonomy should be investigated in the future via real-life interaction studies. Full article

Guaranteeing data transmission between modules is the key for application development of modular robotic systems. In a multi-channel modular robotic system, intersection modules play an essential role of communication channel selection in controlling data flow toward desired destinations. The gradient-based routing algorithm is an ideal solution to create an one-way communication path from any robotic module to a designated destination. To create bi-directional communication for a communication path of robotic configuration, virtual pheromone-based routing algorithm is a promising mechanism for intersection modules due to its simplicity and distributivity. In this paper, we address a virtual pheromone based network flow control based on the integration of gradient and virtual pheromone-based routing algorithms. We validated this method through an education and entertainment application using our newly developed modular robotic system. Full article

This article presents an investigation of the implications of designing for children’s playful learning with robots. This study was carried out by adopting a Research through Design approach that resulted in the development of a novel low-anthropomorphic robot called Shybo. The article reports the main phases of the project: the preliminary and exploratory research that was carried out to define a list of design requirements; the design of the robot and its supplementary materials for carrying out playful learning experiences; and the evaluation of the project that involved both parents and children. The robot, in fact, was finally tested as part of a two-hour experience that engaged children in activities related to the associations between sounds and colours. The article presents and discusses the results of this evaluation to point out positive aspects of the experience, emerging issues and hints for future works. These are documented to share lessons learned that might be supportive of the general development of children’s playful learning and cognitive experiences with robots. Full article