A Conceptual Model for Human-Robot Collaborative Spatial Navigation

This paper describes our work on developing effective, efficient and user-friendly interaction between a human operator and a mobile robot on performing spatial navigation tasks. In order to solve the spatially related communication problems caused by the disparity between human mental representation about spatial environments and that of a mobile robot, a qualitative spatial knowledge based four-level conceptual model is proposed. With a computational framework based on an application dependent instance of this model, high-level conceptual strategies are implemented and used to support the human-robot collaborative spatial navigation. An empirical study is then conducted to evaluate the computational framework implemented into a practical interactive system using a real environment map regarding different conceptual strategies. .