Exploring Non-Verbal Strategies for Initiating an HRI

The growing deployment of robots in social contexts implies the need to model their behaviour as social agents. In this context, the way a robot approaches a user and eventually engages in an interaction is a crucial aspect to take into account for the acceptance of these tools. In this work, we explore how the approaching policy and gaze behaviours can influence the perceived intention to interact before the interaction starts. The conducted user study highlights the importance of the robot’s gaze behaviour when approaching a human with respect to its approaching behaviour. In particular, if the robot moves in the surroundings of a human, even not straightforward in their direction, but locks the gaze at them, the intention to interact is recognised clearer and faster with respect to the direct approaching of the user but with an adverse gaze.