Investigating Spatial Relationships in Human-Robot Interaction

Co-presence and embodied interaction are two fundamental characteristics of the command and control situation for service robots. This paper presents a study of spatial distances and orientation of a robot with respect to a human user in an experimental setting. Relevant concepts of spatiality from social interaction studies are introduced and related to human-robot interaction (HRI). A Wizard-of-Oz study quantifies the observed spatial distances and spatial formations encountered. However, it is claimed that a simplistic parameterization and measurement of spatial interaction misses the dynamic character and might be counter-productive in the design of socially appropriate robots