Functional near-infrared spectroscopy in human-robot interaction

Abstract

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a promising new tool for research in human-robot interaction (HRI). The technology has already been used for brain-robot interfaces to affect robots' behaviors and as an evaluation tool for assessing brain activity during interactions. In this survey, we provide a comprehensive literature review of published research on fNIRS from various communities to assess its utility in HRI. We discuss four exemplary applications in more detail and also list several challenges that need to be overcome for fNIRS to be an effective tool in realistic HRI settings.