New Design Potentials of Non-mimetic Sonification in Human-Robot Interaction

With the increasing use and complexity of robotic devices, the requirements for the design of human-robot interfaces are rapidly changing and call for new means of interaction and information transfer. On that scope, the discussed project – being developed by the Hybrid Things Lab at the University of Applied Sciences Augsburg and the Design Research Lab at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar – takes a first step in characterizing a novel field of research, exploring the design potentials of non-mimetic sonification in the context of human-robot interaction (HRI). Featuring an industrial 7-axis manipulator and collecting multiple information (for instance, the position of the end-effector, joint positions and forces) during manipulation, these data sets are being used for creating a novel augmented audible presence, and thus allowing new forms of interaction. As such, this paper considers (1) research parameters for non-mimetic sonification (such as pitch, volume and timbre);(2) a comprehensive empirical pursuit, including setup, exploration, and validation;(3) the overall implications of integrating these findings into a unifying human-robot interaction process. The relation between machinic and auditory dimensionality is of particular concern.