Exploring Shape Designs for Soft Robotics and Users’ Associations with Them

Abstract

Soft robotics provides flexible structures and materials that move in natural and organic ways. They facilitate creating safe and tolerant mechanisms for human–machine interaction. This makes soft robotics attractive for tasks that rigid robots are unable to carry out. Users may also display a higher acceptance of soft robots compared to rigid robots because their natural way of movement helps users to relate to scenarios they know from everyday life, making the interaction with the soft robot feel more intuitive. However, the variety of soft robotics shape designs, and how to integrate them into applications, have not been explored fully yet. In a user study, we investigated users’ associations and ideas for application areas for 36 soft robotics shape designs, brainstormed with users beforehand. We derived first design recommendations for soft robotics designs such as clear signifiers indicating the possible motion.