Gestures in Motion: Exploring Referent-Free Elicitation Method for Hexapod Robot Control in Urban Environments

Gesture elicitation studies (GES) is a promising method for intuitive interaction with mobile robots in urban environments. Traditional gesture elicitation methods rely on predefined commands, which may restrict creativity and adaptability. This study explores referent-free gesture elicitation as a method for discovering natural, user-defined gestures to control a hexapod robot. Through a three-phase user study, we explore gesture diversity, user confidence, and agreement rates across tasks. Results show that referent-free methods foster creativity but present consistency challenges, while referent-based approaches offer better convergence for familiar commands. As a proof of concept, we implemented a subset of gestures on an embedded platform using a stereo vision system and tested live classification with two gestures. This technical extension demonstrates early-stage feasibility and informs future deployments. Our findings contribute a design framework for human-centered gesture interfaces in mobile robotics, especially for dynamic public environments.