Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams

Nicola Webb; Sanja Milivojevic; Mehdi Sobhani; Zachary R. Madin; James C. Ward; Sagir Yusuf; Chris Baber; Edmund R. Hunt

doi:10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11

Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams

Nicola Webb, Sanja Milivojevic, Mehdi Sobhani, Zachary R. Madin, James C. Ward, Sagir Yusuf, Chris Baber, Edmund R. Hunt^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

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Abstract

For humans and robots to form an effective human-robot team (HRT) there must be sufficient trust between team members throughout a mission. We analyze data from an HRT experiment focused on trust dynamics in teams of one human and two robots, where trust was manipulated by robots becoming temporarily unresponsive. Whole-body movement tracking was achieved using ultrasound beacons, alongside communications and performance logs from a human-robot interface. We find evidence that synchronization between time series of human-robot movement, within a certain spatial proximity, is correlated with changes in self-reported trust. This suggests that the interplay of proxemics and kinesics—i.e. moving together through space, where implicit communication via coordination can occur—could play a role in building and maintaining trust in human-robot teams. Thus, quantitative indicators of coordination dynamics between team members could be used to predict trust over time and also provide early warning signals of the need for timely trust repair if trust is damaged. Hence, we aim to develop the metrology of trust in mobile human-robot teams.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Social Robotics
Subtitle of host publication	16th International Conference, ICSR + AI 2024 Odense, Denmark, October 23–26, 2024 Proceedings, Part I
Editors	Oskar Palinko, Leon Bodenhagen, John-John Cabibihan, Kerstin Fischer, Selma Šabanović, Katie Winkle, Laxmidhar Behera, Shuzhi Sam Ge, Dimitrios Chrysostomou, Wanyue Jiang, Hongsheng He
Publisher	Springer, Singapore
Pages	107-120
Number of pages	14
ISBN (Electronic)	9789819635221
ISBN (Print)	9789819635214
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 25 Mar 2025

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Publisher	Springer
Volume	15561
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.

Keywords

cs.RO
cs.HC

Access to Document

10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11

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Webb, N., Milivojevic, S., Sobhani, M., Madin, Z. R., Ward, J. C., Yusuf, S., Baber, C., & Hunt, E. R. (2025). Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams. In O. Palinko, L. Bodenhagen, J.-J. Cabibihan, K. Fischer, S. Šabanović, K. Winkle, L. Behera, S. S. Ge, D. Chrysostomou, W. Jiang, & H. He (Eds.), Social Robotics: 16th International Conference, ICSR + AI 2024 Odense, Denmark, October 23–26, 2024 Proceedings, Part I (pp. 107-120). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 15561). Springer, Singapore. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11

Webb, Nicola ; Milivojevic, Sanja ; Sobhani, Mehdi et al. / Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams. Social Robotics: 16th International Conference, ICSR + AI 2024 Odense, Denmark, October 23–26, 2024 Proceedings, Part I . editor / Oskar Palinko ; Leon Bodenhagen ; John-John Cabibihan ; Kerstin Fischer ; Selma Šabanović ; Katie Winkle ; Laxmidhar Behera ; Shuzhi Sam Ge ; Dimitrios Chrysostomou ; Wanyue Jiang ; Hongsheng He. Springer, Singapore, 2025. pp. 107-120 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).

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title = "Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams",

abstract = "For humans and robots to form an effective human-robot team (HRT) there must be sufficient trust between team members throughout a mission. We analyze data from an HRT experiment focused on trust dynamics in teams of one human and two robots, where trust was manipulated by robots becoming temporarily unresponsive. Whole-body movement tracking was achieved using ultrasound beacons, alongside communications and performance logs from a human-robot interface. We find evidence that synchronization between time series of human-robot movement, within a certain spatial proximity, is correlated with changes in self-reported trust. This suggests that the interplay of proxemics and kinesics—i.e. moving together through space, where implicit communication via coordination can occur—could play a role in building and maintaining trust in human-robot teams. Thus, quantitative indicators of coordination dynamics between team members could be used to predict trust over time and also provide early warning signals of the need for timely trust repair if trust is damaged. Hence, we aim to develop the metrology of trust in mobile human-robot teams.",

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author = "Nicola Webb and Sanja Milivojevic and Mehdi Sobhani and Madin, \{Zachary R.\} and Ward, \{James C.\} and Sagir Yusuf and Chris Baber and Hunt, \{Edmund R.\}",

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doi = "10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1\_11",

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editor = "Oskar Palinko and Leon Bodenhagen and John-John Cabibihan and Kerstin Fischer and Selma {\v S}abanovi{\'c} and Katie Winkle and Laxmidhar Behera and Ge, \{Shuzhi Sam\} and Dimitrios Chrysostomou and Wanyue Jiang and Hongsheng He",

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Webb, N , Milivojevic, S, Sobhani, M, Madin, ZR , Ward, JC, Yusuf, S, Baber, C & Hunt, ER 2025, Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams. in O Palinko, L Bodenhagen, J-J Cabibihan, K Fischer, S Šabanović, K Winkle, L Behera, SS Ge, D Chrysostomou, W Jiang & H He (eds), Social Robotics: 16th International Conference, ICSR + AI 2024 Odense, Denmark, October 23–26, 2024 Proceedings, Part I . Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 15561, Springer, Singapore, pp. 107-120. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11

Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams. / Webb, Nicola ; Milivojevic, Sanja; Sobhani, Mehdi et al.
Social Robotics: 16th International Conference, ICSR + AI 2024 Odense, Denmark, October 23–26, 2024 Proceedings, Part I . ed. / Oskar Palinko; Leon Bodenhagen; John-John Cabibihan; Kerstin Fischer; Selma Šabanović; Katie Winkle; Laxmidhar Behera; Shuzhi Sam Ge; Dimitrios Chrysostomou; Wanyue Jiang; Hongsheng He. Springer, Singapore, 2025. p. 107-120 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 15561).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

TY - GEN

T1 - Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams

AU - Webb, Nicola

AU - Milivojevic, Sanja

AU - Sobhani, Mehdi

AU - Madin, Zachary R.

AU - Ward, James C.

AU - Yusuf, Sagir

AU - Baber, Chris

AU - Hunt, Edmund R.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.

PY - 2025/3/25

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N2 - For humans and robots to form an effective human-robot team (HRT) there must be sufficient trust between team members throughout a mission. We analyze data from an HRT experiment focused on trust dynamics in teams of one human and two robots, where trust was manipulated by robots becoming temporarily unresponsive. Whole-body movement tracking was achieved using ultrasound beacons, alongside communications and performance logs from a human-robot interface. We find evidence that synchronization between time series of human-robot movement, within a certain spatial proximity, is correlated with changes in self-reported trust. This suggests that the interplay of proxemics and kinesics—i.e. moving together through space, where implicit communication via coordination can occur—could play a role in building and maintaining trust in human-robot teams. Thus, quantitative indicators of coordination dynamics between team members could be used to predict trust over time and also provide early warning signals of the need for timely trust repair if trust is damaged. Hence, we aim to develop the metrology of trust in mobile human-robot teams.

AB - For humans and robots to form an effective human-robot team (HRT) there must be sufficient trust between team members throughout a mission. We analyze data from an HRT experiment focused on trust dynamics in teams of one human and two robots, where trust was manipulated by robots becoming temporarily unresponsive. Whole-body movement tracking was achieved using ultrasound beacons, alongside communications and performance logs from a human-robot interface. We find evidence that synchronization between time series of human-robot movement, within a certain spatial proximity, is correlated with changes in self-reported trust. This suggests that the interplay of proxemics and kinesics—i.e. moving together through space, where implicit communication via coordination can occur—could play a role in building and maintaining trust in human-robot teams. Thus, quantitative indicators of coordination dynamics between team members could be used to predict trust over time and also provide early warning signals of the need for timely trust repair if trust is damaged. Hence, we aim to develop the metrology of trust in mobile human-robot teams.

KW - cs.RO

KW - cs.HC

U2 - 10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11

DO - 10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11

M3 - Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

SN - 9789819635214

T3 - Lecture Notes in Computer Science

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EP - 120

BT - Social Robotics

A2 - Palinko, Oskar

A2 - Bodenhagen, Leon

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A2 - Šabanović, Selma

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PB - Springer, Singapore

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Webb N , Milivojevic S, Sobhani M, Madin ZR , Ward JC, Yusuf S et al. Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams. In Palinko O, Bodenhagen L, Cabibihan JJ, Fischer K, Šabanović S, Winkle K, Behera L, Ge SS, Chrysostomou D, Jiang W, He H, editors, Social Robotics: 16th International Conference, ICSR + AI 2024 Odense, Denmark, October 23–26, 2024 Proceedings, Part I . Springer, Singapore. 2025. p. 107-120. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). Epub 2025 Mar 25. doi: 10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11

Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams

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