Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams

Nicola Webb; Sanja Milivojevic; Mehdi Sobhani; Zachary R. Madin; James C. Ward; Sagir Yusuf; Chris Baber; Edmund R. Hunt

doi:10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11

Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams

Nicola Webb
, Sanja Milivojevic
, Mehdi Sobhani
, Zachary R. Madin
, James C. Ward
, Sagir Yusuf
, Chris Baber
, Edmund R. Hunt^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Computer Science

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

For humans and robots to form an effective human-robot team (HRT) there must be sufficient trust between team members throughout a mission. We analyze data from an HRT experiment focused on trust dynamics in teams of one human and two robots, where trust was manipulated by robots becoming temporarily unresponsive. Whole-body movement tracking was achieved using ultrasound beacons, alongside communications and performance logs from a human-robot interface. We find evidence that synchronization between time series of human-robot movement, within a certain spatial proximity, is correlated with changes in self-reported trust. This suggests that the interplay of proxemics and kinesics—i.e. moving together through space, where implicit communication via coordination can occur—could play a role in building and maintaining trust in human-robot teams. Thus, quantitative indicators of coordination dynamics between team members could be used to predict trust over time and also provide early warning signals of the need for timely trust repair if trust is damaged. Hence, we aim to develop the metrology of trust in mobile human-robot teams.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Social Robotics
Subtitle of host publication	16th International Conference, ICSR + AI 2024, Odense, Denmark, October 23–26, 2024, Proceedings, Part I
Editors	Oskar Palinko, Leon Bodenhagen, John-John Cabibihan, Kerstin Fischer, Selma Šabanović, Katie Winkle, Laxmidhar Behera, Shuzhi Sam Ge, Dimitrios Chrysostomou, Wanyue Jiang, Hongsheng He
Publisher	Springer
Pages	107-120
Number of pages	14
Edition	1
ISBN (Electronic)	9789819635221
ISBN (Print)	9789819635214
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11
Publication status	Published - 25 Mar 2025
Event	16th International Conference on Social Robotics, ICSR + AI 2024 - Odense, Denmark Duration: 23 Oct 2024 → 26 Oct 2024

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Volume	15561
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Conference

Conference	16th International Conference on Social Robotics, ICSR + AI 2024
Country/Territory	Denmark
City	Odense
Period	23/10/24 → 26/10/24

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.

Keywords

Behavioral Indicators
Human-Robot Teaming
Trust

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Theoretical Computer Science
General Computer Science

Access to Document

10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11

https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/co-movement-and-trust-development-in-human-robot-teams/Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

Satisficing Trust in Human Robot Teams
Baber, C. (Principal Investigator)
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council
1/06/23 → 31/05/26
Project: Research Councils

Cite this

Webb, N., Milivojevic, S., Sobhani, M., Madin, Z. R., Ward, J. C., Yusuf, S., Baber, C., & Hunt, E. R. (2025). Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams. In O. Palinko, L. Bodenhagen, J.-J. Cabibihan, K. Fischer, S. Šabanović, K. Winkle, L. Behera, S. S. Ge, D. Chrysostomou, W. Jiang, & H. He (Eds.), Social Robotics: 16th International Conference, ICSR + AI 2024, Odense, Denmark, October 23–26, 2024, Proceedings, Part I (1 ed., pp. 107-120). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 15561). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11

Webb, Nicola ; Milivojevic, Sanja ; Sobhani, Mehdi et al. / Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams. Social Robotics: 16th International Conference, ICSR + AI 2024, Odense, Denmark, October 23–26, 2024, Proceedings, Part I. editor / Oskar Palinko ; Leon Bodenhagen ; John-John Cabibihan ; Kerstin Fischer ; Selma Šabanović ; Katie Winkle ; Laxmidhar Behera ; Shuzhi Sam Ge ; Dimitrios Chrysostomou ; Wanyue Jiang ; Hongsheng He. 1. ed. Springer, 2025. pp. 107-120 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).

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abstract = "For humans and robots to form an effective human-robot team (HRT) there must be sufficient trust between team members throughout a mission. We analyze data from an HRT experiment focused on trust dynamics in teams of one human and two robots, where trust was manipulated by robots becoming temporarily unresponsive. Whole-body movement tracking was achieved using ultrasound beacons, alongside communications and performance logs from a human-robot interface. We find evidence that synchronization between time series of human-robot movement, within a certain spatial proximity, is correlated with changes in self-reported trust. This suggests that the interplay of proxemics and kinesics—i.e. moving together through space, where implicit communication via coordination can occur—could play a role in building and maintaining trust in human-robot teams. Thus, quantitative indicators of coordination dynamics between team members could be used to predict trust over time and also provide early warning signals of the need for timely trust repair if trust is damaged. Hence, we aim to develop the metrology of trust in mobile human-robot teams.",

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Webb, N, Milivojevic, S, Sobhani, M, Madin, ZR, Ward, JC, Yusuf, S, Baber, C & Hunt, ER 2025, Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams. in O Palinko, L Bodenhagen, J-J Cabibihan, K Fischer, S Šabanović, K Winkle, L Behera, SS Ge, D Chrysostomou, W Jiang & H He (eds), Social Robotics: 16th International Conference, ICSR + AI 2024, Odense, Denmark, October 23–26, 2024, Proceedings, Part I. 1 edn, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 15561, Springer, pp. 107-120, 16th International Conference on Social Robotics, ICSR + AI 2024, Odense, Denmark, 23/10/24. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11

Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams. / Webb, Nicola; Milivojevic, Sanja; Sobhani, Mehdi et al.
Social Robotics: 16th International Conference, ICSR + AI 2024, Odense, Denmark, October 23–26, 2024, Proceedings, Part I. ed. / Oskar Palinko; Leon Bodenhagen; John-John Cabibihan; Kerstin Fischer; Selma Šabanović; Katie Winkle; Laxmidhar Behera; Shuzhi Sam Ge; Dimitrios Chrysostomou; Wanyue Jiang; Hongsheng He. 1. ed. Springer, 2025. p. 107-120 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 15561).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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AU - Milivojevic, Sanja

AU - Sobhani, Mehdi

AU - Madin, Zachary R.

AU - Ward, James C.

AU - Yusuf, Sagir

AU - Baber, Chris

AU - Hunt, Edmund R.

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Webb N, Milivojevic S, Sobhani M, Madin ZR, Ward JC, Yusuf S et al. Co-Movement and Trust Development in Human-Robot Teams. In Palinko O, Bodenhagen L, Cabibihan JJ, Fischer K, Šabanović S, Winkle K, Behera L, Ge SS, Chrysostomou D, Jiang W, He H, editors, Social Robotics: 16th International Conference, ICSR + AI 2024, Odense, Denmark, October 23–26, 2024, Proceedings, Part I. 1 ed. Springer. 2025. p. 107-120. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). Epub 2025 Mar 24. doi: 10.1007/978-981-96-3522-1_11