Extended duration human-robot interaction: Tools and analysis

Abstract

Extended human-robot interactions possess unique aspects which are not exhibited in short-term interactions spanning a few minutes or extremely long-term spanning days. In order to comprehensively monitor such interactions, we need special recording mechanisms which ensure the interaction is captured at multiple spatio-temporal scales, viewpoints and modalities(audio, video, physio). To minimize cognitive burden, we need tools which can automate the process of annotating and analyzing the resulting data. In addition, we also require these tools to be able to provide a unified, multi-scale view of the data and help discover patterns in the interaction process. In this paper, we describe recording and analysis tools which are helping us analyze extended human-robot interactions with children as subjects. We also provide some experimental results which highlight the utility of such tools.