Human-centered AI with focus on Human-robot interaction (Book chapter)

2025-07-05

AI Summary

Amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution, social robots face challenges in human-centered adaptation, as existing demand models fail to simultaneously address micro-level interaction efficacy and macro-level societal value. This paper proposes, for the first time, a “dual-pyramid” human needs framework grounded in human-centered AI principles and integrating social robotics, human factors engineering, and sustainable development theory. The foundational pyramid layer specifies individual-level interaction requirements—namely robot effectiveness, trustworthiness, and explainability—while the apex layer extends to societal dimensions, emphasizing human-robot collaboration in advancing the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Systematically unifying multi-level human needs, this framework bridges a critical gap in social robotics: the absence of an integrative, normatively grounded demand model. It provides both a theoretical foundation and a design paradigm for next-generation social robots that are rigorously user-centered and deeply socially embedded.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Human-Robot Interaction
• Humans and AI: Learning Human Values and Preferences
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Social Cognition And Interaction

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Social recommender systems and personalization for the social Web
• Semantics and Knowledge: Data modeling to support human-machine intelligence, including LLMs agents, intelligent system behavior, explanations, and user-friendly interactions

Abstract

Modern social robots can be considered the descendants of steam engines from the First Industrial Revolution (IR 1.0) and industrial robotic arms from the Third Industrial Revolution (IR 3.0). As some time has passed since the introduction of these robots during the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0), challenges and issues in their interaction with humans have emerged, leading researchers to conclude that, like any other AI-based technology, these robots must also be human-centered to meet the needs of their users. This chapter aims to introduce humans and their needs in interactions with robots, ranging from short-term, one-on-one interactions (micro-level) to long-term, macro-level needs at the societal scale. Building upon the principles of human-centered AI, this chapter presents, for the first time, a new framework of human needs called the Dual Pyramid. This framework encompasses a comprehensive list of human needs in robot interactions, from the most fundamental, robot effectiveness to macro level requirements, such as the collaboration with robots in achieving the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Problem

• Addressing human-robot interaction challenges in IR 4.0
• Proposing a human-centered AI framework for robots
• Mapping human needs from micro to macro levels

Innovation

• Human-centered AI for robot interaction
• Dual Pyramid framework for human needs
• Robots aligned with Sustainable Development Goals