How close? Model of proximity control for information-presenting robots

This paper describes a model for a robot to appropriately control its position when it presents information to a user. This capability is indispensable since in the future many robots will be functioning in daily situations as shopkeepers presenting products to customers or museum guides presenting information to visitors. Psychology research suggests that people adjust their positions to establish a joint view toward a target object. Similarly, when a robot presents an object, it should stand at an appropriate position that considers the positions of both the listener and the object to optimize the listener´s field of view and to establish a joint view. We observed human-human interaction situations where people presented objects and developed a model for an information-presenting robot to appropriately adjust its position. Our model consists of four constraints for establishing O-space: (1) proximity to listener, (2) proximity to object, (3) listener´s field of view, and (4) presenter´s field of view. We also present an experimental evaluation of the effectiveness of our model.