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. 2021 Feb 17:12:624108.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.624108. eCollection 2021.

Who's Leading This Dance?: Theorizing Automatic and Strategic Synchrony in Human-Exoskeleton Interactions

Gavin Lawrence Kirkwood  1 , Christopher D Otmar  1 , Mohemmad Hansia  1
Affiliations

Who's Leading This Dance?: Theorizing Automatic and Strategic Synchrony in Human-Exoskeleton Interactions

Gavin Lawrence Kirkwood et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Wearable robots are an emerging form of technology that allow organizations to combine the strength, precision, and performance of machines with the flexibility, intelligence, and problem-solving abilities of human wearers. Active exoskeletons are a type of wearable robot that gives wearers the ability to effortlessly lift up to 200 lbs., as well as perform other types of physically demanding tasks that would be too strenuous for most humans. Synchronization between exoskeleton suits and wearers is one of the most challenging requirements to operate these technologies effectively. In this conceptual paper, we extend interpersonal adaption theory (IAT) to the exoskeleton context and explicate (a) the antecedents that are most likely to shape synchrony in human-exoskeleton interactions, (b) automatic and strategic synchrony as adaptive behaviors in human-exoskeleton interactions, and (c) outcome variables that are especially important in these processes. Lastly, we offer a discussion of key methodological challenges for measuring synchrony in human-exoskeleton interactions and offer a future research agenda for this important area.

Keywords: emerging technologies; exoskeletons; human-machine interaction; human-robot interaction; methodological challenges; synchrony.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chart detailing antecedents, processes, and outcomes that are likely to impact automatic and strategic synchronization in human-exoskeleton interaction.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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