The Social Life of Industrial Arms: How Arousal and Attention Shape Human-Robot Interaction

Ingenuity Labs Research Institute Queen's University Kingston, Canada matthew.pan@queensu.ca Abstract -- This study explores how human perceptions of a non-anthropomorphic robotic manipulator can be shaped by two key dimensions of behaviour: arousal, defined as the robot's movement energy and expressiveness, and attention, defined as the robot's capacity to selectively orient toward and engage with a user . We present an integrated behaviour system that applies and extends existing movement-centric design principles to non-anthropomorphic robots. Our system combines a gaze-like attention engine with an arousal-modulated motion layer to explore how expressive and interactive behaviours influence social perception in robotic manipulators. In a user study, we find that robots exhibiting high attention--actively directing their focus toward users--are perceived as warmer and more competent, intentional, and lifelike. In contrast, high arousal--characterized by fast, expansive, and energetic motions--increases perceptions of discomfort and disturbance. Importantly, a combination of focused attention and moderate arousal yields the highest ratings of trust and sociability, while excessive arousal diminishes social engagement.