A qualitative evaluation criterion for human-robot interaction system in achieving collective tasks

This work intends to identify common performance metrics for task-oriented human-robot interaction. We present a methodology to assess the system performance of a human-robot team in achievement of collective tasks. We propose a systematic approach that addresses the performance of both the human user and the robotic agent as a team. Toward this end, we attempt to determine the true time that an operator has to dedicate to a robot in action. We define the robot attention demand (RAD) as a function of both direct interaction time (DIT) and indirect interaction time (IIT), where the IIT is a direct consequence of the human trust in automation. We propose a two-level fuzzy temporal model to evaluate the human trust in automation while interacting with robots. Another fuzzy temporal model is presented to evaluate the human reliability during interaction time. The model is then generalized to accommodate multi-robot scenarios. Sequential and parallel robot cooperation schemes with varying levels of task dependency are considered. The fuzzy knowledge bases are further updated by implementing an application robotic platform where robots and users interact naturally to complete tasks with varying levels of complexity. User feedback is noted and used to tune the knowledge base rules where needed, to better represent a human expert´s knowledge.