Autonomy Uprising: How Civilians, First Responders, and Robots are Redefining the Future of Search-and-Rescue (SAR)

This paper explores the dynamics of human-robot interaction (HRI) in emergency response scenarios, focusing on how autonomous robots engage with civilians and first responders in search-and-rescue (SAR) operations. We examine the role of trust-building and emotional engagement in crisis situations, where human lives depend on effective HRI. The potential for autonomous systems to support decision-making while maintaining human oversight is investigated. Using the Autonomy Levels for Unmanned Systems (ALFUS) framework, we assess SAR robots' autonomy in terms of mission complexity (MC), environmental complexity (EC), and external system independence (ESI). Additionally, the Autonomy and Technology Readiness Assessment (ATRA) method supports gradual capability enhancement, providing a roadmap to higher autonomy while ensuring safety and reliability. Based on this established methodology, we introduce the Emergency Response Interaction Framework (ERIF), a novel conceptual framework defining the roles of actors involved, to connect theoretical insights with real-world applications. This work highlights the significance of human-robot trust in crisis scenarios and proposes directions for future research on collective decision-making in emergency response HRI.