Communication of Safety Area Violations in Interactions with Industrial Autonomous Mobile Robots

This chapter delves into the critical challenge of communicating safety area violations in interactions with industrial autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). It explores various communication modalities, including auditory, visual, and combined methods, to determine the most effective way to convey safety information. The study involved a real robot and 33 participants, evaluating four concepts: auditory, visual, combined, and a baseline without additional communication. Key findings reveal that visual cues are preferred over auditory ones for perceived safety and comfort, while combined signals offer a balanced approach. The chapter also discusses the impact of these communication methods on trust, mental load, and frustration, providing valuable insights for enhancing human-robot interactions. The results highlight the potential of integrating visual or combined audio-visual cues to foster understanding, acceptance, and trust among users, ultimately contributing to smoother and more efficient interactions in industrial settings.