On the effect of the user's background on communicating grasping commands

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the impact of the user's background on their ability to communicate grasping commands to a robot. We conducted a study where a group of 15 non-technical users use natural language to instruct a robotic arm to grasp five small everyday objects. We found that users with less technical backgrounds choose simple more predictable commands over complex unpredictable movements. These users also required more time and commands to complete a grasping task compared to users with more technical backgrounds. Other results however suggest that the user's background is not the most critical factor. Individual preferences and learning approaches also appear to play a role in command choices.