Collaborative Robots and Tangled Passages of Tactile-Affects

Abstract

Collaborative robots are increasingly entering industrial contexts and workflows. These contexts are not just locations for production, they are vibrant social and sensory environments. For better or for worse their entry brings potential to reorganize established tactile and affective dynamics that encompass production processes. There is still much to be learned about these highly contextual and complex dynamics in HRI research and the design of industrial robotics; common approaches in industrial collaborative robotics are restricted to evaluating ‘effective interface design’ whereas methods that seek to measure ‘affective touch’ have limited application to these industrial domains. This paper offers an extended analytical framework and methodological approach to deepen understandings of affect and touch beyond emotional responses to direct human-robot interactions. These distinct contributions are grounded in fieldwork in a glass factory with newly installed collaborative robots. They are illustrated through an ethnographic narrative that traces the emergence and circulation of affect, across material, experiential and social planes. Beyond this single case ‘tangled passages of tactile-affects’ is offered as novel and valuable concept, that is distinct from the notion of ‘affective touch’, and holds potential to generate holistic and nuanced understandings of how human experiences can be affected by the introduction of new robots in ‘the wild’.

Metarobotics for Industry and Society: Vision, Technologies, and Opportunities

“…Since human skin and grasped objects, including a robot, might have varying temperatures, as in glass factories [7], thermo-tactile feedback is considered in the third approach [46]. A triboelectric and pyroelectric ring-sensor worn by a citizen and connected to the holoported environment via 6G reflects the thermo-tactil feedback.…”

“…This accelerates co-programming and facilitates socialization among workers despite distance. Also, the potential for decent and upskilling work conditions, especially under hazards, such as heat or smoke exposition in glass factories [7], are incentives for citizen scientists and professional researchers to contribute to a shared and evolving knowledge base that informs decisions empowering citizens in π-HRC. The "human touch" for robotized "mass personalization" advocated in [8] becomes actionable beyond industrial borders to reach out to humancentered society at large.…”

Emotion Recognition in Psychology of Human-robot Interaction

“…Researchers seek to discern the factors influencing the development of trust in robotic systems, investigating elements such as reliability, transparency, and the robot's ability to fulfill its intended functions. Trust is paramount as it underpins user acceptance and influences the overall success of human-robot collaborations in various contexts, from healthcare to manufacturing (Barker & Jewitt, 2023).…”