Influence Evaluation on Remote Operator by Autonomization with Semi-autonomous Telepresence Robots

Abstract

Semi-autonomous telepresence robots are proposed by some researches. However, it is insufficient that guidelines defining which behavior should be autonomized on telepresence robots. In our previous research, we proposed a guideline of autonomization focusing on voluntary behavior and involuntary behavior. We extended the architecture focusing on those two behaviors for a telepresence robot and evaluated the impression. However, an evaluation from the viewpoint of remote operator is insufficient. In this paper, we investigated the influence through experiments that participants remotely attend meetings with the telepresence robot. From the results, it was suggested that autonomization of voluntary behaviors could be a factor of unpleasantness for remote operator.