# Robots with Different Embodiments Can Express and Influence Carefulness in Object Manipulation

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2208.02058 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.02058/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 4 of its 22 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 3 Aug 2022.

## Builds on (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [Reducing the Barrier to Entry of Complex Robotic Software: a MoveIt! Case Study](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1404.3785/) (2014)
- [Property-Aware Robot Object Manipulation: a Generative Approach](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.04385/) (2021)
- [From Movement Kinematics to Object Properties: Online Recognition of Human Carefulness](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.00460/) (2021)
- [Synthesis and Execution of Communicative Robotic Movements with Generative Adversarial Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.15640/) (2022)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Humans have an extraordinary ability to communicate and read the properties of objects by simply watching them being carried by someone else. This level of communicative skills and interpretation, available to humans, is essential for collaborative robots if they are to interact naturally and effectively. For example, suppose a robot is handing over a fragile object. In that case, the human who receives it should be informed of its fragility in advance, through an immediate and implicit message, i.e., by the direct modulation of the robot's action. This work investigates the perception of object manipulations performed with a communicative intent by two robots with different embodiments (an iCub humanoid robot and a Baxter robot). We designed the robots' movements to communicate carefulness or not during the transportation of objects. We found that not only this feature is correctly perceived by human observers, but it can elicit as well a form of motor adaptation in subsequent human object manipulations. In addition, we get an insight into which motion features may induce to manipulate an object more or less carefully.