Investigating the effects of an augmented reality-based warning system on safety and trust in human-robot collaboration

Abstract

Implementing efficient warning systems (e.g., visual, audio, or vibration alerts) is critical in human-robot collaboration (HRC) to enhance safety. Augmented reality (AR) is a promising technology for delivering such warnings. However, several studies have yet to fully investigate the effects of AR-based warning systems on safety and trust HRC. In this work, we investigate the effects of an AR-based warning system on both safety and trust using objective and subjective measures as well as physiological response as stress indicators. Twenty-six people participated in our within-participant experiment. Our results suggest that while the AR-based warning system improves the objective measure of safety, participants did not explicitly feel that their environment was safer with the system. Nevertheless, they demonstrated a higher level of trust in the AR system. However, this positive effect on trust was not reflected in any measure of physiological response, such as heart rate variability or electrodermal activity. Further studies should explore the long-term effects of AR-based warning systems on both safety and stress reduction.