Improvements in robot navigation through operator speech preferences

The capability to use voice commands to control robots offer an intriguing possibility to increase the efficiency with which robotic operators may give commands. This study consists of two experiments that investigate how robot operators prefer to speak to robots in a search-and-find task and to evaluate which mode of speaking generates the greatest performance. Experiment 1 revealed that operators used selective exocentric references when available to direct a confederate acting as a robot. Experiment 2 revealed that with the same exocentric references operators showed improved performance while directing an actual robot as compared with egocentric-only commands. Experiment 2 also revealed that performing a dual task was less detrimental to performance when using exocentric commands as compared to egocentric commands. Suggestions for improvements to a robot control system that follow from these results include developing recognition of structural properties of an indoor environment and improving map incorporation.