Human-Like Movements of Industrial Robots Positively Impact Observer Perception

The number of industrial robots and collaborative robots on manufacturing shopfloors has been rapidly increasing over the past decades. However, research on industrial robot perception and attributions toward them is scarce as related work has predominantly explored the effect of robot appearance, movement patterns, or human-likeness of humanoid robots. The current research specifically examines attributions and perceptions of industrial robots—specifically, articulated collaborative robots—and how the type of movements of such robots impact human perception and preference. We developed and empirically tested a novel model of robot movement behavior and demonstrate how altering the movement behavior of a robotic arm leads to differing attributions of the robot’s human-likeness. These findings have important implications for emerging research on the impact of robot movement on worker perception, preferences, and behavior in industrial settings.