Workshop
Workshop: Robot Touch Best Practices - A Series of Inappropriate Events
By Research Librarian, Associate Professor, Evgenios Vlachos. March 25, 10:00-12:00, followed by lunch: from 12:00- 12:30.
Campus Odense - the library main entrance, first floor meeting room:
OD BIB Meetingroom1 - Olsen (Ø1-507a-2)
Deadline for registration: March 20 to Evgenios Vlachos evl@bib.sdu.dk
Abstract: Robot Touch Best Practices: A Series of Inappropriate Events
We present cases and events of inappropriate robot-initiated touch toward humans, as well as human-initiated touch toward robots to explore the boundaries for what is considered appropriate active and passive robotic touch and propose recommendations for best practice.
Apart from experiments reported in peer reviewed scientific literature, we also include incidents from gray literature encompassing various resources divergent from the conventional academic pathways reporting cases of robots sexually harassing humans, causing accidents, and injuries. Inspired by criminal law, we categorize all cases within an inappropriateness spectrum of "low to medium harm" to "high harm".
Our preparatory findings highlight the highly context-sensitive and individualized nature of robot touch and illustrate the diverse and often contradictory responses to robot touch across various studies and events.
This study aims to trigger the human-robot interaction community to work jointly towards a framework for the development and application of robots with touch capabilities that can appropriately, ethically and legally engage in touch behaviors.