Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) continues to rely on commercial social robot platforms to support academic research. Yet again and again, these systems prove short-lived, inaccessible, or misaligned with research needs. We argue that this is not an industry problem – the goals, needs, and constraints of industry are inherently distinct. Instead, this is a fundamental structural problem in HRI research, and one that must be solved from within. In short, HRI researchers must build their own products. In this paper, we trace the recent problems of industry-supplied robots and frame a new type of HRI research artifact in response: Deployable Research Products (DRPs), which bridge the gap between lab prototypes and commercial products. Drawing on mental models from business and innovation theory, we outline the mindset shifts that HRI must embody to move towards DRPs. We conclude with three emerging examples of this alternative path in the HRI community. These projects differ in scope and approach but share a common thread: to ensure the longevity of our science, we cannot outsource what we value most.

In the past two decades, the field of social robotics has undergone significant growth, witnessing a surge in long-term human–robot interaction (HRI) studies. This review paper provides an in-depth analysis of 120 long-term HRI studies conducted between 2003 and 2023, spanning 7 major domains including education, entertainment, and physical and mental health. We define “long-term” as studies deploying social robots with the same users for more than three sessions across 3 consecutive days, aiming to employ a comprehensive approach and identify trends in this dynamic field. Our analysis explores various aspects of these studies, from participant demographics to the characteristics of the HRI and engagement measures. The findings reveal promising trends, such as diverse age group representation, a strong focus on real-world contexts, and autonomous robot operation. We also identify gaps, notably the limited representation of studies involving teenagers and those studying workplace settings. By presenting this overview, we aim to empower the HRI community to address challenges, refine methodologies, and foster innovation in the domain of long-term HRI.

This article discusses the design, development, and evaluation of Ommie , a novel socially assistive robot that supports deep breathing practices for the purposes of anxiety reduction. Research has shown that practicing deep breathing (breathing while extending one’s inhales, holds, and exhales) has a strong capacity to calm the autonomic nervous system and reduce anxiety. The robot’s primary function is to guide users through a series of deep breaths by way of haptic interactions and audio cues. We utilized a user-centered design approach and present our design methodology in addition to core decisions across robot morphology, tactility, and interactivity. As reported in prior work, the final robot prototype was tested with a two-cohort usability study (n = 43) at a local university wellness center, including participants with anxiety and those with varying levels of experience with deep breathing. Interacting with Ommie resulted in a significant reduction in STAI-6 anxiety measures across all participants, who also found the robot intuitive, approachable, and engaging. Participants also reported feelings of focus and companionship when using the robot, often elicited by the haptic interaction. This article describes how our design process and design goals contributed to these results showing Ommie’s capacity for supporting those with anxiety. Our work also serves as an example of how researchers can design robots for behavioral practices for mental health.

In this paper, we introduce Ommie, a novel robot that supports deep breathing practices for the purposes of anxiety reduction. The robot’s primary function is to guide users through a series of extended inhales, exhales, and holds by way of haptic interactions and audio cues. We present core design decisions during development, such as robot morphology and tactility, as well as the results of a usability study in collaboration with a local wellness center. Interacting with Ommie resulted in a significant reduction in STAI-6 anxiety measures, and participants found the robot intuitive, approachable, and engaging. Participants also reported feelings of focus and companionship when using the robot, often elicited by the haptic interaction. These results show promise in the robot’s capacity for supporting mental health.

This paper presents a number of concepts related to benchmarking and evaluation of grasping and manipulation. A set of “Objects of Daily Living” based on a review of common domestic objects for manipulation as identified from sources in the literature is put forward, along with the physical properties of sample objects in those categories. Next, an experimental evaluation of the coefficient of static friction between these objects and a number of common household surfaces is performed. A key failure mode in unstructured object grasping occurs when the manipulator applies large contact forces that move the object out of grasp range. These results therefore give insight into the likelihood of a target object remaining in place to be successfully grasped in the presence of contact forces from the robot arm. This paper also presents a new classification of the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), putting forth a standard categorization for the application of robotics in human environments. These topics and results have a number of uses related to benchmarking and performance evaluation in robotic manipulation, assistive technology, and prosthetics.