Estimating User Engagement in Human Robot Interaction Using a Dynamic Bayesian Network

Xiaoxuan Hei, Heng Zhang, Adriana Tapus

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Engagement is a key concept in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), as high engagement often leads to improved user experience and task performance. However, accurately estimating engagement during interactions is challenging. In this study, we propose a Dynamic Bayesian Network (DBN) to infer user engagement from various modalities, including head rotation, eye movements, facial expressions captured through visual sensors, as well as facial temperature variations measured by a thermal camera. Data was gathered from a human-robot interaction (HRI) experiment, where a robot guided participants and encouraged them to share their thoughts and insights on environmental issues. Our approach successfully combines these diverse features to offer a thorough assessment of user engagement. The network was tested on its capacity to classify participants as either engaged or not engaged, achieving an accuracy of 0.83 and an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.82. These findings underscore the strength of our DBN in detecting user engagement during interactions.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2025
EditorsChristian Ott, Henny Admoni, Sven Behnke, Stjepan Bogdan, Aude Bolopion, Youngjin Choi, Fanny Ficuciello, Nicholas Gans, Clement Gosselin, Kensuke Harada, Erdal Kayacan, H. Jin Kim, Stefan Leutenegger, Zhe Liu, Perla Maiolino, Lino Marques, Takamitsu Matsubara, Anastasia Mavromatti, Mark Minor, Jason O'Kane, Hae Won Park, Hae-Won Park, Ioannis Rekleitis, Federico Renda, Elisa Ricci, Laurel D. Riek, Lorenzo Sabattini, Shaojie Shen, Yu Sun, Pierre-Brice Wieber, Katsu Yamane, Jingjin Yu
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages11242-11248
Number of pages7
ISBN (Electronic)9798331541392
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2025
Event2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2025 - Atlanta, United States
Duration: 19 May 202523 May 2025

Publication series

NameProceedings - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
ISSN (Print)1050-4729

Conference

Conference2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2025
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityAtlanta
Period19/05/2523/05/25

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