Human-Technology Interaction

Robotics in the Human-Technology Interaction group

Within the Human-Technology Interaction (HTI) group of the Department of Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences we do research on the navigation of a social robot within a household environment, while taking into account a cluttered, changing environment, and the personal space of the user. By implementing social capabilities in the robot we aim to improve the interaction and usability of the system. Capabilities that are included are for example, attention recognition, the ability to integrate emotion in the interaction and personal space.
Furthermore, researchers at HTI study how robots can influence people. That is, social robots can use influencing mechanisms that humans use to influence each other. For example, robots can smile at you when you close the window in wintertime. They might assist and stimulate you to conserve electricity when programming your washing machine, or stimulate you to do your exercises or to take your pills.
At HTI we study how people perceive social robots. Do people have the feeling that these robots are like real people? Would people respond to them as if responding to a human? And what determines the nature of those responses? Thereby, HTI researchers unravel the interaction between humans and robots.

In the menu at the left of your screen, you can find the projects where Human-Technology interaction in is involved.