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In this paper we explore how social gaze in an assembly robot affects how naïve users interact with it. In a controlled experimental study, 30 participants instructed an industrial robot to fetch parts needed to assemble a wooden toolbox. Participants either interacted with a robot employing a simple gaze following the movements of its own arm, or with a robot that follows its own movements during tasks, but which also gazes at the participant between instructions. Our qualitative and quantitative analyses show that people in the social gaze condition are significantly more quick to engage the robot, smile significantly more often, and can better account for where the robot is looking. In addition, we find people in the social gaze condition to feel more responsible for the task performance. We conclude that social gaze in assembly scenarios fulfills floor management functions and provides an indicator for the robot's affordance, yet that it does not influence likability, mutual interest and suspected competence of the robot.

The successful introduction of flexible, reconfigurable and selfadaptive manufacturing processes relies upon evolving traditional automation ISA-95 automation solutions to adopt innovative automation pyramids. These new approaches target the integration of data-intensive cloud and fog-based edge computing and communication digital manufacturing processes from the shop-floor to the factory to the cloud. The integration and operation of the required ICT, automation and robotic technologies and platforms is particularly challenging for manufacturing SMEs, which account for more than 80% of manufacturing companies in Europe. This paper presents an insight into the business and operational processes, which motivate the development of a digital cognitive automation framework for collaborative robotics and modular manufacturing systems particularly tailored to SME operations and needs; i.e. the AUTOWARE Operative System. To meet the requirements of both large and small firms this paper elaborates on the smart integration of wellestablished SME friendly digital frameworks such as the ROS supported robotic Reconcell framework, the FIWARE-enabled BEinCPPS Cyber Physical Production framework and the OpenFog compliant TAPPS hardware framework.

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