{"title":"Moffuly-II: A Robot that Hugs and Rubs Heads","authors":"Yuya Onishi, Hidenobu Sumioka, Masahiro Shiomi","doi":"10.1007/s12369-023-01070-5","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Although whole-body touch interaction, e.g., hugging, is essential for human beings from various perspectives, not everyone can interact with intimate friends/family due to physical separations caused by such circumstances as pandemics, geographical constraints, etc. The possibility of human–robot touch interaction is one approach that ameliorates such missing touch interactions. In this study, we developed a robot named Moffuly-II, that hugs people and rubs their heads during a hug because head-touching behaviors are typical affective interactions between intimate persons. Moffuly-II is a large huggable teddy-bear type robot and it has enough capability to both hug and touch the head. We conducted an experiment with human participants and evaluated the effectiveness of combining intra-hug gestures (squeezing and rubbing) and the touch area (back and head). From experimental results, we identified the advantages of implementing rubbing gestures compared to squeezing gestures and some of the advantages of head-touching behaviors compared to back-touching behaviors.</p>","PeriodicalId":14361,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Social Robotics","volume":"875 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8000,"publicationDate":"2023-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Social Robotics","FirstCategoryId":"94","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-023-01070-5","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ROBOTICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Although whole-body touch interaction, e.g., hugging, is essential for human beings from various perspectives, not everyone can interact with intimate friends/family due to physical separations caused by such circumstances as pandemics, geographical constraints, etc. The possibility of human–robot touch interaction is one approach that ameliorates such missing touch interactions. In this study, we developed a robot named Moffuly-II, that hugs people and rubs their heads during a hug because head-touching behaviors are typical affective interactions between intimate persons. Moffuly-II is a large huggable teddy-bear type robot and it has enough capability to both hug and touch the head. We conducted an experiment with human participants and evaluated the effectiveness of combining intra-hug gestures (squeezing and rubbing) and the touch area (back and head). From experimental results, we identified the advantages of implementing rubbing gestures compared to squeezing gestures and some of the advantages of head-touching behaviors compared to back-touching behaviors.
期刊介绍:
Social Robotics is the study of robots that are able to interact and communicate among themselves, with humans, and with the environment, within the social and cultural structure attached to its role. The journal covers a broad spectrum of topics related to the latest technologies, new research results and developments in the area of social robotics on all levels, from developments in core enabling technologies to system integration, aesthetic design, applications and social implications. It provides a platform for like-minded researchers to present their findings and latest developments in social robotics, covering relevant advances in engineering, computing, arts and social sciences.
The journal publishes original, peer reviewed articles and contributions on innovative ideas and concepts, new discoveries and improvements, as well as novel applications, by leading researchers and developers regarding the latest fundamental advances in the core technologies that form the backbone of social robotics, distinguished developmental projects in the area, as well as seminal works in aesthetic design, ethics and philosophy, studies on social impact and influence, pertaining to social robotics.