Systematic analysis of requirements for socially acceptable service robots

In modern society, service robots are increasingly recognized for their wide range of practical applications. In large and crowded social spaces, such as museums and hospitals, these robots are required to safely move in the environment while exhibiting user-friendly behavior. Ensuring the safe and socially acceptable operation of robots in such settings presents several challenges. To enhance the social acceptance in the design process of service robots, we present a systematic analysis of requirements, categorized into functional and non-functional. These requirements are further classified into different categories, with a single requirement potentially belonging to multiple categories. Finally, considering the specific case of a receptionist robotic agent, we discuss the requirements it should possess to ensure social acceptance.

CBF-Based Motion Planning for Socially Responsible Robot Navigation Guaranteeing STL Specification

In the field of control engineering, the connection between Signal Temporal Logic (STL) and time-varying Control Barrier Functions (CBF) has attracted considerable attention. CBFs have demonstrated notable success in ensuring the safety of critical applications by imposing constraints on system states, while STL allows for precisely specifying spatio-temporal constraints on the behavior of robotic systems. Leveraging these methodologies, this paper addresses the safety-critical navigation problem, in Socially Responsible Navigation (SRN) context, presenting a CBF-based STL motion planning methodology. This methodology enables task completion at any time within a specified time interval considering a dynamic system subject to velocity constraints. The proposed approach involves real-time computation of a smooth CBF, with the computation of a dynamically adjusted parameter based on the available path space and the maximum allowable velocity. A simulation study is conducted to validate the methodology, ensuring safety in the presence of static and dynamic obstacles and demonstrating its compliance with spatio-temporal constraints under non-linear velocity constraints.

Follow me: an architecture for user identification and social navigation with a mobile robot

Over the past decade, a multitude of service robots have been developed to fulfill a wide range of practical purposes. Notably, roles such as reception and robotic guidance have garnered extensive popularity. In these positions, robots are progressively assuming the responsibilities traditionally held by human staff in assisting customers. Ensuring the safe and socially acceptable operation of robots in such environments poses a fundamental challenge within the context of Socially Responsible Navigation (SRN). This article presents an architecture for user identification and social navigation with a mobile robot that employs computer vision, machine learning, and artificial intelligence algorithms to identify and guide users in a social navigation context, thereby providing an intuitive and user-friendly experience with the robot.

CBF-Based STL Motion Planning for Social Navigation in Crowded Environment

A motion planning methodology based on the combination of Control Barrier Functions (CBF) and Signal Temporal Logic (STL) is employed in this paper. This methodology allows task completion at any point within a specified time interval, considering a dynamic system subject to velocity constraints. In this work, we apply this approach into the context of Socially Responsible Navigation (SRN), introducing a rotation constraint. This constraint is designed to maintain the user within the robot's field of view (FOV), enhancing human-robot interaction with the concept of side-by-side human-robot companion. This angular constraint offers the possibility to customize social navigation to specific needs, thereby enabling safe SRN. Its validation is carried out through simulations demonstrating the system's effectiveness in adhering to spatio-temporal constraints, including those related to robot velocity, rotation, and the presence of static and dynamic obstacles.