He elaborates, "In the best of circumstances, we look at what people need from a technical system such as a smartphone, a machine at work, or even a robot, what tasks they would like to undertake with these, and what requirements, expectations, and anxieties come into play when using these systems." This human-technology interaction field is known as Engineering Psychology or Human Factors Engineering.
New Junior Professorship in Applied Cognitive Psychology
In October 2023, Johannes Kraus was appointed to a junior professorship in Applied Cognitive Psychology with a focus on Human Factors at the JGU Department of General Experimental Psychology. As a result, a significant part of the ZEN-MRI project, which stands for the Ulm Center for Research and Evaluation of Human-Robot Interaction in Public Spaces, was transferred to Mainz University.
"My former working environment was back at Ulm University and the trial site for the project will remain in Ulm," said Professor Kraus. "Here at JGU, I will be continuing my research, focusing on the psychological processes that occur during interactions with intelligent technologies, such as AI software, autonomous vehicles, and robots. I will significantly extend the scope of this work together with my team here at Mainz University."
Dr. Marlene Wessels, recently awarded her doctorate by JGU, has been part of the ZEN-MRI project since its launch at Mainz University in March 2024. Her expertise in experimental investigation of interaction strategies using virtual reality (VR) is a valuable addition.
"We are putting together a lab in which we can study individuals' reactions to various robots in different situations in virtual environments. We will be looking at how rapidly and how closely robots can approach humans without the latter feeling uncomfortable and what sort of sound levels robots need to produce to ensure that they are perceived both as unthreatening and even sympathetic, for example," added Wessels.
Collaborative Project Funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research
The ZEN-MRI project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) until the end of August 2025. It is a collaboration between Mainz and Ulm University, the Institute for Digital Ethics of Stuttgart Media University, the City of Ulm, Adlatus Robotics GmbH, which manufactures the robots under investigation, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO in Stuttgart.
The project aims to determine how congenial coexistence between humans and robots can be achieved in public areas. Aspects such as what robots should look like and how they should behave are being investigated. Also under consideration is the information that needs to be provided to citizens to ensure they have a realistic mindset when encountering robots. The study will also assess how robots can enhance accessibility and inclusivity in human-robot interactions, with a current focus on visually impaired subjects to understand their specific requirements.
Promoting Human-Intelligent Technology Interaction
In the coming weeks, the lab in Mainz will be equipped with a state-of-the-art VR setup and several physical robots for research. Professor Kraus's team will expand with two doctoral candidates. "I am very much looking forward to fostering the exploration of human-intelligent technology interactions with the help of my team here in Mainz," emphasized Kraus.
Bachelor students interested in these topics may want to consider the Master of Science program "Human Factors" at JGU. Further information on this degree program is available at https://www.studium.uni-mainz.
Related Links
Center for Research and Evaluation of Human-Robot Interaction in Public Spaces
All about the robots on Earth and beyond!
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