[iva] *New Special Issue* ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction 12(2) June 2023

[young at cs.umanitoba.ca]

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ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction
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We are pleased to announce the publication of the Special Issue on Designing the Robot Body: Critical Perspectives on Affective Embodied Interaction, as Volume 12, Issue 2, June 2023.
https://dl.acm.org/toc/thri/2023/12/2


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Special Issue - Designing the Robot Body: Critical Perspectives on Affective Embodied Interaction
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Introduction to the Special Issue on “Designing the Robot Body: Critical Perspectives on Affective Embodied Interaction”
Mark Paterson, Guy Hoffman, Caroline Yan Zheng
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3594713.


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Section: Perspectives
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Towards a Soft Science of Soft Robots. A Call for a Place for Aesthetics in Soft Robotics Research
Jonas Jørgensen
Abstract: The position paper presents an argument that aesthetic theory and practice are pertinent to the rapidly expanding field of soft robotics. Soft robotics as an aesthetic phenomenon is introduced and contextualized drawing on the author's own research and ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3533681.

Inviting Robot Touch (By Design)
Mark Paterson
Abstract: What is the role of touch in inviting social interaction with robots? Forms of functional haptics in collaboration and socially assistive robots, for example, indicate one pathway. But what of more naturalistic and affective forms of touch that are more ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3549533.

Multiple Roles of Multimodality Among Interacting Agents
Erik Lagerstedt, Serge Thill
Abstract: The term multimodality has come to take on several somewhat different meanings depending on the underlying theoretical paradigms and traditions along with the purpose and context of use. The term is closely related to embodiment, which, in turn, is also ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3549955.


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Section: Research Articles
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In the Arms of a Robot: Designing Autonomous Hugging Robots with Intra-Hug Gestures
Alexis E. Block, Hasti Seifi, Otmar Hilliges, Roger Gassert, Katherine J. Kuchenbecker
Abstract: Hugs are complex affective interactions that often include gestures like squeezes. We present six new guidelines for designing interactive hugging robots, which we validate through two studies with our custom robot. To achieve autonomy, we investigated ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3526110.

Collaborative Robots and Tangled Passages of Tactile-Affects
Ned Barker, Carey Jewitt
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 ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3534090.

Affective Robots Need Therapy
Paul Bucci, David Marino, Ivan Beschastnikh
Abstract: Emotion researchers have begun to converge on the theory that emotions are psychologically and socially constructed. A common assumption in affective robotics is that emotions are categorical brain-body states that can be confidently modeled. But if ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3543514.

Design Metaphors for Understanding User Expectations of Socially Interactive Robot Embodiments
Nathaniel Dennler, Changxiao Ruan, Jessica Hadiwijoyo, Brenna Chen, Stefanos Nikolaidis, Maja Matarić
Abstract: The physical design of a robot suggests expectations of that robot’s functionality for human users and collaborators. When those expectations align with the robot’s true capabilities, users are more likely to adopt the technologies for their intended use. ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3550489.

Nonverbal Cues in Human–Robot Interaction: A Communication Studies Perspective
Jacqueline Urakami, Katie Seaborn
Abstract: Communication between people is characterized by a broad range of nonverbal cues. Transferring these cues into the design of robots and other artificial agents that interact with people may foster more natural, inviting, and accessible experiences. In ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3570169.

Judging a Socially Assistive Robot by Its Cover: The Effect of Body Structure, Outline, and Color on Users’ Perception
Ela Liberman-Pincu, Yisrael Parmet, Tal Oron-Gilad
Abstract: Socially assistive robots (SARs) aim to provide assistance through social interaction. Previous studies contributed to understanding users’ perceptions and preferences regarding existing commercially available SARs. Yet very few studies regarding SARs’ ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3571717.

Embodied Expressive Gestures in Telerobots: A Tale of Two Users
William N. Benson, Zachary Anderson, Evan Capelle, Maya F. Dunlap, Blake Dorris, Jenna L. Gorlewicz, Mitsuru Shimizu, Jerry B. Weinberg
Abstract: Despite their technical advancements, commercially available telerobots are limited in social interaction capabilities for both pilot and local users, specifically in nonverbal communication. Our group hypothesizes that the introduction of expressive ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3570908.

Applying “Designerly Framing” to Understand Assisted Feeding as Social Aesthetic Bodily Experiences
Sara Ljungblad
Abstract: What could it mean to take a designerly perspective of a robotic eating aid to get a more holistic understanding of meals as social and embodied experiences? In this article, we provide a new perspective of bodily experiences of assisted feeding. We apply ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3583742.

What Can a Robot’s Skin Be? Designing Texture-changing Skin for Human–Robot Social Interaction
Yuhan Hu, Guy Hoffman
Abstract: Biological skin has numerous functions like protection, sensing, expression, and regulation. On the contrary, a robot’s skin is usually regarded as a passive and static separation between the body and environment. In this article, we explore the design ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3532772.

From Robotics to Prosthetics: What Design and Engineering Can Do Better Together
Maria R. Fossati, Giorgio Grioli, Manuel G. Catalano, Antonio Bicchi
Abstract: This paper discusses how the disciplines of Design and Engineering are jointly addressing disability and somehow affecting its very interpretation. The discussion focuses on high-tech prostheses, where robotic devices substitute human body parts. The ...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3588323.


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ACM THRI welcomes contributions from across HRI and Robotics. For details on the journal, information for authors, and upcoming Special Issues, please visit the ACM THRI website: http://thri.acm.org

Odest Chadwicke Jenkins
Selma Sabanovic
ACM THRI Editors-in-Chief

James Young, University of Manitoba
ACM THRI Managing Editor