Exploring the integration of large language models in human-robot collaboration: Effects on performance, mental stress, and trust
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: As large language models (LLMs) become increasingly integrated into robotic systems, understanding their influence on human-robot collaboration (HRC) is critical for designing effective and user-centered human-robot interactions. This study investigates the impact of LLM-enhanced robotic systems on users’ performance, mental stress, and trust during collaborative tasks. Participants engaged in two representative HRC scenarios, including object delivery and instruction following, under two experimental conditions: with and without LLM support. Performance was measured through task completion time and number of verbal commands; mental stress was assessed using both subjective (NASA-TLX) and objective (galvanic skin response, GSR) measures; and trust was evaluated through the SHAPE Trust Index and eye-tracking metrics (blink rate and duration). Results showed that LLM integration significantly improved task efficiency and reduced subjective mental stress, particularly mental demand, effort, and frustration. Participants also reported higher levels of trust in the LLM condition across dimensions such as usefulness, reliability, accuracy, and ease of use. Interestingly, GSR data indicated elevated physiological arousal, possibly suggesting increased engagement or positive emotional activation, while eye-tracking measures showed no significant differences. These findings highlight the potential of LLMs to enhance HRC by enabling more natural communication, reducing mental workload, and increasing user trust, while also pointing to the need for improved system transparency to support deeper understanding and sustained trust. • The study investigate how LLM-enhanced human-robot collaboration impacts task performance, mental stress, and user trust. • An HRC system powered by GPT-4o was evaluated in collaborative object deliver and instruction following tasks. • Integration of the large language models reduced task completion time and the number of verbal commands issued by users. • Participants reported lower subjective mental stress with LLM integration, although GSR signals indicated higher arousal. • LLM integration increased perceived trust, but more transparency is needed to explain the robot's reasoning.
Source: Applied Ergonomics
Institution: North Carolina State University
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,400
Funder: National Science Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W7124842784