Stopping distance for a robot approaching two conversating persons

In recent years, much attention has been given to developing robots with various social skills. An important social skill is navigation in the presence of people. Earlier research has indicated preferred approach angles and stopping distances for a robot when approaching people who are interacting with each other. However, an experimental validation of user experiences with such a robot is largely missing. The current study investigates the shape and size of a shared interaction space and evaluations of a robot approaching from various angles. Results show an expected pattern of stopping distances, but only when a robot approaches the middle point between two persons. Additionally, more positive evaluations were found when a robot approached on the side of the participant compared to other participant's side. These findings highlight the importance of using a smart path planning method for robots when joining an interaction between users.