Gaze and Movement Design in Collaborative Robots: Sociodemographic Predictors of Human Acceptance and Trust
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The integration of collaborative robots is reshaping industrial workspaces, enhancing productivity while introducing new challenges in human-machine interactions. With the transition to Industry 5.0 emphasizing human-centered innovation, understanding how individual characteristics affect cobot acceptance and trust is critical to fostering more inclusive and effective work environments. This study investigates the influence of sociodemographic factors (specifically, age, gender, educational level, and prior experience with robots) on user acceptance and trust. Sixty-eight participants interacted with a collaborative robot (Kinova Gen 3) under four experimental conditions, manipulating gaze behavior (present vs. absent) and movement type (robotic vs. anthropomorphic). Acceptance and trust were assessed using validated instruments: the Frankenstein Syndrome Questionnaire–Industrial Context (FSQ–IC) and the Human-Robot Interaction Trust Scale (HRITS). Results revealed that acceptance was significantly associated with age, education, and prior experience with robots. Younger participants with high school or less and no previous experience with robots reported higher acceptance levels across all experimental conditions. However, trust levels remained relatively stable across sociodemographic groups. Regression analyses revealed that age negatively predicted acceptance across all experimental conditions. Prior experience with robots positively predicted acceptance in the no gaze and anthropomorphic movement conditions, and marginally positively predicted acceptance in the gaze condition. In contrast, prior experience with robots negatively predicted trust across all conditions. Gender positively predicted trust in the no gaze and robotic movement conditions, while educational level marginally negatively predicted trust in the robotic movement condition. Design manipulations of gaze and movement produced no significant effects on acceptance or trust (ηp2 ≤ 0.016), suggesting that in a short, highly structured industrial task subtle social cues had limited influence. These insights underscore the need for adaptable, inclusive, user-centered design in collaborative robotics.
Institutions: University of Coimbra, Instituto Superior Miguel Torga
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7140098538