Analyzing Previous Human-Robot Interaction Implementation in Agriculture: What Can We Learn from the Past?

With the recent shift from conventional industrial robots to more collaborative Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) robots<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sup><sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sup>In this paper, the term ‘HRI robot’ is used to underscore the significance of the interaction between robots and humans, rather than focusing on the type of robot involved (e.g., cobot, social robot) or the nature of the interaction (e.g., instruction-based, social interaction-based), when we refer to HRI robots we refer to any type of robot a person/s may interact or engage directly with during a task. within industries such as the agriculture sector, it has become essential to understand the challenges associated with the adoption of these robots to ensure a smooth integration with minimal resistance. As with all new technologies, there is often push-back when changing approaches and initiating new pathways within company operations, which can cause hesitation and even halt the adoption process. This paper draws from interviews with agricultural companies that have previously attempted to implement robots requiring direct human interaction, focusing on individuals within those companies who had decision-making capabilities during the implementation process. From these interviews, a set of action principles has been developed based on transferable knowledge found within the participating companies. The main results of this user study highlight that previous implementation attempts, whether positive or negative, influence future adoption. The study also identifies the multitude of barriers surrounding the agricultural sector's adoption of these technologies and suggests potential actions for companies to take to minimize the issues associated with implementing HRI robots. By identifying common successes and failures and contextualizing them for other companies to follow, this study aims to utilize lessons learned from past implementation attempts to shorten the learning curve and reduce hesitation in adopting HRI robots within the agricultural sector.