Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

A Telepresence Robot Partner for Remote Work: An Exploration into Design and Its Psychological Effect

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Human-Computer Interaction (HCII 2024)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 14685))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 712 Accesses

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly shifted the traditional workspace to the domestic environment. Social isolation inspires us to consider telepresence technologies to reshape our working experience. This study is inspired by the psychological concept of social facilitation and explores its implementation in telepresence robots. A telepresence robot representing somebody with minimal cues was designed and tested in our experiment on a puzzle task. We suspect a facilitative effect of the robot on the participants’ work efficiency and self-efficacy through its social presence. To evaluate the design, different modalities of the “observer” were set up as different experiment conditions. The initial result shows no significant social facilitation effect. However, this study contributes to the ongoing debate on the effectiveness of robots in remote work environments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
€34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
EUR 29.95
Price includes VAT (Germany)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
EUR 96.29
Price includes VAT (Germany)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
EUR 128.39
Price includes VAT (Germany)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

') var buybox = document.querySelector("[data-id=id_"+ timestamp +"]").parentNode var buyingOptions = buybox.querySelectorAll(".buying-option") ;[].slice.call(buyingOptions).forEach(initCollapsibles) var buyboxMaxSingleColumnWidth = 480 function initCollapsibles(subscription, index) { var toggle = subscription.querySelector(".buying-option-price") subscription.classList.remove("expanded") var form = subscription.querySelector(".buying-option-form") var priceInfo = subscription.querySelector(".price-info") var buyingOption = toggle.parentElement if (toggle && form && priceInfo) { toggle.setAttribute("role", "button") toggle.setAttribute("tabindex", "0") toggle.addEventListener("click", function (event) { var expandedBuyingOptions = buybox.querySelectorAll(".buying-option.expanded") var buyboxWidth = buybox.offsetWidth ;[].slice.call(expandedBuyingOptions).forEach(function(option) { if (buyboxWidth buyboxMaxSingleColumnWidth) { toggle.click() } else { if (index === 0) { toggle.click() } else { toggle.setAttribute("aria-expanded", "false") form.hidden = "hidden" priceInfo.hidden = "hidden" } } }) } initialStateOpen() if (window.buyboxInitialised) return window.buyboxInitialised = true initKeyControls() })()

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Van Zoonen, W., Sivunen, A.E.: The impact of remote work and mediated communication frequency on isolation and psychological distress. Eur. J. Work Organ. Psy. 31, 610–621 (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Augstein, M., Neumayr, T., Schönböck, J., Kovacs, C.: Remote persons are closer than they appear: home, team and a lockdown. In: Proceedings of CHI 2023 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. ACM, New York (2023)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bleakley, A., et al.: Bridging social distance during social distancing: exploring social talk and remote collegiality in video conferencing. Human-Comp. Interact. 37, 404–432 (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Miller, C., Rodeghero, P., Storey, M.-A., Ford, D., Zimmermann, T.: “How was your weekend?” Software development teams working from home during covid-19. In: Proceedings of ICSE 2021 International Conference on Software Engineering. IEEE, New York (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Röcker, C.: Informal communication and awareness in virtual teams – why we need smart technologies to support distributed teamwork. Commun. Inf. Sci. Manage. Eng. 2, 1–15 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Muratbekova-Touron, M., Leon, E.: “Is there anybody out there?” Using a telepresence robot to engage in face time at the office. Inf. Technol. People 36, 48–65 (2023)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Guerin, B.: Social Facilitation. Cambridge University Press (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cominelli, L., et al.: Promises and trust in human–robot interaction. Sci. Rep. 11, 9687 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Paulos, E., Canny, J.: Ubiquitous tele-embodiment: applications and implications. Int. J. Hum. Comput. Stud. 46, 861–877 (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Kristoffersson, A., Coradeschi, S., Severinson Eklundh, K., Loutfi, A.: Sense of presence in a robotic telepresence domain. In: Stephanidis, C. (ed.) Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Users Diversity, pp. 479–487. Springer, Heidelberg (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21663-3_51

  11. Sugiyama, J., Tsetserukou, D., Miura, J.: NAVIgoid: robot navigation with haptic vision. In: Proceedings of SA 2011 SIGGRAPH Asia. ACM. New York (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Choi, J.J., Kwak, S.S.: You are my robot: the impact of synchronized motion cues on receivers. Int. J. Control Autom. 9, 249–258 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Almeida, L., Menezes, P., Dias, J.: Telepresence social robotics towards co-presence: a review. Appl. Sci. 12(11), 5557 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3390/app12115557

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hwang, A.H.-C., Won, A.S.: Ideabot: investigating social facilitation in human-machine team creativity. In: Proceedings of the CHI 2021 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 1–16. ACM, New York (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Spatola, N., Huguet, P.: Cognitive impact of anthropomorphized robot gaze: anthropomorphic gaze as social cues. J. Hum. Robot Interact. 10, 1–14 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Lee, M.K., Takayama, L.: “Now, i have a body”: uses and social norms for mobile remote presence in the workplace. In: Proceedings of CHI 2011 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. ACM, New York (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Schouten, A.P., Portegies, T.C., Withuis, I., Willemsen, L.M., Mazerant-Dubois, K.: Robomorphism: examining the effects of telepresence robots on between-student cooperation. Comp. Human Behav. 126, 106980 (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Biocca, F.: The cyborg’s dilemma: Progressive embodiment in virtual environments. J. Comp.-Mediated Commun. 3(2), (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Sheridan, T.B.: Musings on telepresence and virtual presence. Presence Teleoperators Virtual Environ. 1, 120–126 (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Steuer, J.: Defining virtual reality: dimensions determining telepresence. J. Commun. 42, 73–93 (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Allport, F.H.: The influence of the group upon association and thought. J. Exp. Psychol. 3, 159–182 (1920)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Uziel, L.: Individual differences in the social facilitation effect: a review and meta-analysis. J. Res. Pers. 41, 579–601 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Nowak, K., Biocca, F.: The effect of the agency and anthropomorphism on users’ sense of telepresence, copresence, and social presence in virtual environments. Presence Teleop. Virt. 12, 481–494 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Slater, M., Steed, A.: Meeting people virtually: experiments in shared virtual environments. In: Schroeder, R. (ed.) The Social Life of Avatars: Presence and Interaction in Shared Virtual Environments, pp. 146–171. Springer, London (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0277-9_9

  25. Slater, M.: Place illusion and plausibility can lead to realistic behaviour in immersive virtual environments. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B Biol. Sci. 364, 3549–3557 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Allmendinger, K.: Social presence in synchronous virtual learning situations: the role of nonverbal signals displayed by avatars. Educ. Psychol. Rev. 22, 41–56 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Oh, C.S., Bailenson, J.N., Welch, G.F.: A systematic review of social presence: definition, antecedents, and implications. Front. Robot. AI 5, 114 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Broadbent, E., Stafford, R., MacDonald, B.: Acceptance of healthcare robots for the older population: review and future directions. Int. J. Soc. Robot. 1, 319–330 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Triplett, N.: The dynamogenic factors in pacemaking and competition. Am. J. Psychol. 9, 507–533 (1898)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Zajonc, R.B.: Social facilitation. Science 149, 269–274 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Baron, R.A.: Distraction-conflict theory: an integration of attention, arousal and expectancy. Psychol. Rev. 93, 29–49 (1986)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Cottrell, N.B.: T. In: McClintock, C.G. (ed.) Experimental Social Psychology, pp. 185–236. Holt McDougal, New York (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Zajonc, R.B.: Feeling and thinking: preferences need no inferences. Am. Psychol. 35, 151–175 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Carver, C.S., Scheier, M.F.: Attention and self-regulation: a control-theory approach to human behavior. In: Harvey, J.H., Ickes, W.J., Kidd, R.F. (eds.) New directions in psychology: Vol. 1. Basic processes in self-control and motivation, pp. 1–30. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Koban, K., Haggadone, B.A., Banks, J.: The observant android: Limited social facilitation and inhibition from a copresent social robot. Technol. Mind Behav. 2 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Irfan, B., Kennedy, J., Lemaignan, S., Papadopoulos, F., Senft, E., Belpaeme, T.: Social psychology and human-robot interaction: an uneasy marriage. In: Proceedings of HRI 2018 International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction. ACM, New York (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Sterna, R., Strojny, P., Rębilas, K.: Can virtual observers affect our behavior? Social facilitation in virtual environments: a mini-review. Soc. Psychol. Bull. (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Lin, C.-H., Chen, C.: Developing spatial visualization and mental rotation with a digital puzzle game at primary school level. Comp. Human Behav. 57, 23–30 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Chesham, A., et al.: Search and match task: development of a taskified match-3 puzzle game to assess and practice visual search. Serious Games 7, e13620 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  40. Fissler, P., Küster, O., Laptinskaya, D., Loy, L., Arnim, C.V., von, Kolassa, I.: Jigsaw puzzling taps multiple cognitive abilities and is a potential protective factor for cognitive aging. Front. Aging Neurosci. 10, 299 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Garcia, A.C.: An explorer in a cardboard land: emotion, memory, and the embodied experience of doing jigsaw puzzles. Int. J. Play. 5, 166–180 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  42. Chen, G., Gully, S.M., Eden, D.: Validation of a new general self-efficacy scale. Organ. Res. Methods 4, 62–83 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  43. Biocca, F., Harms, C., Gregg, J.: The networked minds measure of social presence: pilot test of the factor structure and concurrent validity. In: 4th annual International Workshop on Presence, Philadelphia (2001)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This paper is funded by the National Science and Technology Council, R.O.C. Taiwan (NSTC112–2410-H-006–075-).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Design, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

    Kunlin Jhang & Wei-Chi Chien

Authors
  1. Kunlin Jhang
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wei-Chi Chien
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wei-Chi Chien .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Open University of Japan, Chiba, Japan

    Masaaki Kurosu

  2. Hosei University, Tokyo, Japan

    Ayako Hashizume

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Jhang, K., Chien, WC. (2024). A Telepresence Robot Partner for Remote Work: An Exploration into Design and Its Psychological Effect. In: Kurosu, M., Hashizume, A. (eds) Human-Computer Interaction. HCII 2024. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14685. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-60412-6_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-60412-6_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-60411-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-60412-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics