Design and Evaluation of Touch-Based Expressive Movement for Abstract Robotic Platforms

Abstract

This preliminary study explores whether a featureless cube could be perceived as a social actor the moment it initiates a nudge. The exploratory research investigates the potential of physical nudges using a custom cube-shaped robot equipped with a Stewart-Gough platform and an omnidirectional base. Utilizing animation principles, the study gathers initial insights into how a small sample of users perceive intent and agency during a touch-based interaction with a non-humanoid form. Initial observations across situated and isolated conditions indicate that while specific emotional intent is difficult to decode in a vacuum, these signals become more legible through the co-constructed meaning of a live encounter. In these situated contexts, physical contact appeared to heighten the attribution of social presence and seemed to reduce negative user affect. These findings demonstrate that intentional touch warrants further investigation as a medium for social interaction, suggesting that minimalist robotic forms can foster relational significance without relying on anthropomorphic mimicry.