A Soft Robotic Interface for Chick-Robot Affective Interactions

2026-04-09

AI Summary

This study addresses the challenge of enhancing chick acceptance of social robots by introducing, for the first time in animal–robot interaction research, an affective interface framework targeting perceived social relevance, non-threateningness, and attractiveness. The authors developed an animal-centered soft robotic platform integrating thermal stimulation, breathing-like rhythmic deformation, and face-like visual cues to enable multimodal affective expression. Using video tracking to quantify spontaneous approach and contact behaviors, they found that thermal stimulation significantly increased chick preference over time, while face-like visual cues accelerated initial approach. Chicks exhibited sustained engagement without avoidance, indicating robust acceptance. The work also establishes a reliable protocol for assessing animal acceptance of robotic agents.

Abstract

The potential of Animal-Robot Interaction (ARI) in welfare applications depends on how much an animal perceives a robotic agent as socially relevant, non-threatening and potentially attractive (acceptance). Here, we present an animal-centered soft robotic affective interface for newly hatched chicks (Gallus gallus). The soft interface provides safe and controllable cues, including warmth, breathing-like rhythmic deformation, and face-like visual stimuli. We evaluated chick acceptance of the interface and chick-robot interactions by measuring spontaneous approach and touch responses during video tracking. Overall, chicks approached and spent increasing time on or near the interface, demonstrating acceptance of the device. Across different layouts, chicks showed strong preference for warm thermal stimulation, which increased over time. Face-like visual cues elicited a swift and stable preference, speeding up the initial approach to the tactile interface. Although the breathing cue did not elicit any preference, neither did it trigger avoidance, paving the way for further exploration. These findings translate affective interface concepts to ARI, demonstrating that appropriate soft, thermal and visual stimuli can sustain early chick-robot interactions. This work establishes a reliable evaluation protocol and a safe baseline for designing multimodal robotic devices for animal welfare and neuroscientific research.

Problem

• Animal-Robot Interaction
• Affective Interface
• Chick Acceptance
• Soft Robotics
• Multimodal Stimuli

Innovation

• soft robotic interface
• animal-robot interaction
• affective stimuli
• multimodal cues
• chick acceptance