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Exploring Consequential Robot Sound: Should We Make Robots Quiet and Kawaii-et?

Authors:

Brian J. Zhang,

Christopher A. Sanchez,

Naomi T. FitterAuthors Info & Claims

2021 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)

Pages 3056 - 3062

https://doi.org/10.1109/IROS51168.2021.9636365

Published: 27 September 2021 Publication History

Abstract

All robots create consequential sound—sound produced as a result of the robot’s mechanisms—yet little work has explored how sound impacts human-robot interaction. Recent work shows that the sound of different robot mechanisms affects perceived competence, trust, human-likeness, and discomfort. However, the physical sound characteristics responsible for these perceptions have not been clearly identified. In this paper, we aim to explore key characteristics of robot sound that might influence perceptions. A pilot study from our past work showed that quieter and higher-pitched robots may be perceived as more competent and less discomforting. To better understand how variance in these attributes affects perception, we performed audio manipulations on two sets of industrial robot arm videos within a series of four new studies presented in this paper. Results confirmed that quieter robots were perceived as less discomforting. In addition, higher-pitched robots were perceived as more energetic, happy, warm, and competent. Despite the robot’s industrial purpose and appearance, participants seemed to prefer more "cute" (or "kawaii") sound profiles, which could have implications for the design of more acceptable and fulfilling sound profiles for human-robot interactions with practical collaborative robots.

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Cited By

Allen ADrummond TKulić DJohal WLemaignan SBrščić DVázquez MCharisi V(2025)Sound Judgment: Properties of Consequential Sounds Affecting Human-Perception of RobotsProceedings of the 2025 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction10.5555/3721488.3721504(94-102)Online publication date: 4-Mar-2025
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/3721488.3721504
Shaheen TBrščić DKanda T(2024)Investigation of Low-Moral Actions by Malicious Anonymous Operators of Avatar RobotsACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction10.1145/369646614:1(1-34)Online publication date: 21-Sep-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3696466
Wang YSeaborn K(2024)Kawaii Computing: Scoping Out the Japanese Notion of Cute in User Experiences with Interactive SystemsExtended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613905.3651001(1-9)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3613905.3651001
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2021 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)

Sep 2021

7915 pages

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IEEE Press

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Published: 27 September 2021

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Cited By

Allen ADrummond TKulić DJohal WLemaignan SBrščić DVázquez MCharisi V(2025)Sound Judgment: Properties of Consequential Sounds Affecting Human-Perception of RobotsProceedings of the 2025 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction10.5555/3721488.3721504(94-102)Online publication date: 4-Mar-2025
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/3721488.3721504
Shaheen TBrščić DKanda T(2024)Investigation of Low-Moral Actions by Malicious Anonymous Operators of Avatar RobotsACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction10.1145/369646614:1(1-34)Online publication date: 21-Sep-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3696466
Wang YSeaborn K(2024)Kawaii Computing: Scoping Out the Japanese Notion of Cute in User Experiences with Interactive SystemsExtended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613905.3651001(1-9)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3613905.3651001
Naphausen EMuxel AWillmann J(2023)New Design Potentials of Non-mimetic Sonification in Human–Robot InteractionACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction10.1145/361164612:4(1-17)Online publication date: 13-Dec-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3611646
Latupeirissa APanariello CBresin R(2023)Probing Aesthetics Strategies for Robot Sound: Complexity and Materiality in Movement SonificationACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction10.1145/358527712:4(1-22)Online publication date: 13-Dec-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3585277
Zhang BFitter N(2023)Nonverbal Sound in Human-Robot Interaction: A Systematic ReviewACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction10.1145/358374312:4(1-46)Online publication date: 13-Dec-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3583743
Wang ZHu ZRohles BLjungblad SKoenig VFjeld M(2023)The Effects of Natural Sounds and Proxemic Distances on the Perception of a Noisy Domestic Flying RobotACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction10.1145/357985912:4(1-32)Online publication date: 13-Dec-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3579859
Seaborn KRogers KNam SKojima M(2023)Kawaii Game Vocalics: A Preliminary ModelCompanion Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play10.1145/3573382.3616099(202-208)Online publication date: 6-Oct-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3573382.3616099
Seaborn KNam SKeckeis JItagaki T(2023)Can Voice Assistants Sound Cute? Towards a Model of Kawaii VocalicsExtended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3544549.3585656(1-7)Online publication date: 19-Apr-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3544549.3585656

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