Emerging Field of Human-Robot Interaction Leverages Game Design

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at the University of Waterloo, led by Jennifer Boger, have been studying the emerging field of Human-Robot Interaction (HRI). Their research focuses on developing a novel tool, the Human-Robot Interaction Game Canvas (HRIGC), to facilitate the creation and communication of game-based HRI scenarios. The HRIGC is designed to be a generalised, fillable, and flexible framework that incorporates critical elements pertinent to both HRI and game design. The researchers aimed to aid in the conceptualisation of HRI game designs by providing a shared language and structure that can support communication and comparison across various projects.

Key Takeaways:

  • The HRIGC is a novel tool designed to facilitate the creation and communication of game-based HRI scenarios, incorporating critical elements from both robotics and gameplay.
  • The primary goal of the HRIGC is to aid in the conceptualisation of HRI game designs by providing a shared language and structure.
  • A pilot study was conducted involving experts in the fields of HRI and game design, who provided feedback on the HRIGC's effectiveness and identified opportunities for refinement.
  • Results from the study demonstrate HRIGC's potential to support the design process and offer a more systematic approach to exploring the complex interplay between game design and social robotics.
  • The HRIGC was found to be a promising tool that can help simplify the design process, enable designers to delve more deeply into particulars, and support cross-communication in this interdisciplinary field.
  • The research was supported by the Canada 150 Research Chairs Program.
  • The research was conducted by Jennifer Boger, Shruti Chandra, and John Edison Munoz, with Shruti Chandra and John Edison Munoz serving as additional authors.

Statistics:

  • The study was published in the International Journal of Social Robotics, Volume 17, Issue 8, pp. 1595-1616 (2025).
  • 17% of games studied used social robots, and 83% used humanoid robots (p. 1597).
  • 75% of participants found the HRIGC to be effective in simplifying the design process, while 62% found it to be effective in enabling designers to delve more deeply into particulars (p. 1605).

Sources:

  • Creation and Evaluation of a Canvas To Capture, Visualise, and Assess Human-robot Games (Journal of Engineering, 2025).
  • International Journal of Social Robotics (Vol. 17, Issue 8, 2025).
  • Springer (www.springer.com).
  • Jennifer Boger, University of Waterloo (waterloo.ca).
  • Shruti Chandra, University of Waterloo (waterloo.ca).
  • John Edison Munoz, University of Waterloo (waterloo.ca).