Ana Müller

• Skilled - Socio-Empahic AI-Based Dialogues
  From Code to Empathy - The research project "Skilled" enhances the use of social robots and digital avatars in public spaces through interdisciplinary research on socio-empathic human-machine interaction. The insights gained from integrative and agile research and development are being tested in the innovation labs of the Cologne Cobots Lab, real-world laboratories, and long-term field settings at transport hubs, museums, and city administrations. Here, AI becomes not only smarter but also more human.

31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, RO-MAN 2022; Napoli, Italy; 29.08.-02.09.2022

• Investigating Gender-Stereotyped Interactions with Virtual Agents in Public Spaces
  Müller, Ana; Penkert, Lydia; Schneider, Sebastian; Richert, Anja, 2022, Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
  Current research on the impact of gender appearance in virtual agents and social robots highlights the danger of transmitting and solidifying existing gender stereotypes. To investigate gender-stereotyped interaction at public spaces in dependency of virtual agents gender, we varied the gender of a virtual agent at a metro station. We used an ethnographic study approach, combining a two-day behavior observation with semi-structured interviews with descriptive and qualitative system log analysis of four weeks. Our results show that topics of conversation differ in dependency of the virtual agents gender: the male virtual agent was asked about topics such as brothels, drugs and alcohol and insulted frequently, while the female one was asked for relationship status or about flirting.
  IEEE Explore

32nd IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communica-tion (RO-MAN)

• I’ll Get By with a Little Help from AI – Exploring New Perspectives for Non-Engineer Scholars with ChatGPT
  Müller, Ana; Richert, Anja, in press, Publisher: In 2023 32nd IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN)
  Large-scale language models (LLMs), like ChatGPT, have revolutionized text generation, prompting concerns about evaluation, ethics, and interdisciplinary impact. This paper advocates for interdisciplinary collaboration by empowering non-engineering scholars to shape technology without coding expertise. Using a practical example from social robotics research, it demonstrates the potential of LLMs in the first steps of programming a Furhat robot for an empirical study. It highlights the opportunities of Human-Artificial Intelligence (AI) collaboration, emphasizing different ways of problem-solving through dialogue between humans and AI. The paper aims to alleviate the fear of missing out for non-engineers, fostering a sense of inclusion.

32nd IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN)

• No One is an Island—Investigating the Need for Social Robots (and Researchers) to Handle Multi-Party Interactions in Public Spaces
  Müller, Ana; Richert, Anja, November 2023, Publisher: 32nd IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN). IEEE RO-MAN, Busan.
  Social robots are increasingly used in public spaces, but they still struggle to handle complex social dynamics and interactions with multiple users. This study assessed the interaction between visitors and a Furhat robot connected to an artificial intelligence (AI)-based dialogue system in an oceanographic museum. Our findings from a video analysis of 176 interactions highlight the importance of understanding social dynamics in social robotics research. At the same time, it suggests that social robots are still limited in their ability to handle multi-party interactions (MPI) and understand complex social dynamics. Those limitations are due, in part, to technical constraints, as well as the need for further research on the social and cultural factors that shape human-robot interactions.
  IEEE Explore

• May A(I) Help You? Assessing User Experience from a Field Study on Human-Robot Interaction in a Museum
  Schiffmann, Michael; Müller, Ana; Neumeister, Anke; Richert, Anja, in Veröffentlichung, Publisher: EVA Berlin 2023 Conference
  : Social robots aim to provide assistance across diverse applications through seamless natural language communication. The effectiveness of this communication largely hinges on the sophistication of the underlying dialogue system technology within the robot. To assess the practicality and reception of a social robot serving as a museum guide, we deployed a Furhat robot at the Ocean Museum Germany, OZEANEUM, Stralsund. Based on a partly standardized questionnaire with N = 141 participants, we analyzed user expectations and the perceived performance of social robots in the public service contexts. The study shows that users expect a proactive conversational design that leads to informative dialogs that are backed up by extensive knowledge about the museum and museum topics in the broadest sense. Concerning turn-taking, it becomes clear that the question-answering interaction strategy, which is typical of many commercial robots, does not match the expectations of fluid and natural communication that are set by the anthropomorphic design.
• Exploring Beyond the Exhibits – Creating Knowledge for Social Ro-bots in Museums
  Müller, Ana; Schiffmann, Michael; Neumeister, Anke; Richert, Anja, 27.12.2023, Publisher: S. Thiel und J. Bernhardt, Hrsg., transcript Verlag
  
  https://www.transcript-publishing.com/978-3-8376-6710-3/ai-in-museums/?number=978-3-8394-6710-7

• No One is an Island - Investigating the Need for Social Robots (and Researchers) to Handle Multi-Party Interactions in Public Spaces
  Presented at the 32nd IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (IEEE RO-MAN 2023)
  
  IEEE RO-MAN 2023
• I'll Get By with a Little Help from AI – Initial Exploration of New Perspectives for Non-Engineer Scholars with ChatGPT
  Poster presented at the 32nd IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (IEEE RO-MAN 2023)
  30.08.2023
  IEEE RO-MAN 2023
• No One is an Island – Investigating the Need for Social Robots (and Researchers) to handle Group Interactions in Public Spaces
  Doktorand*innen-Kolloquium des Promotionskollegs NRW - Abteilung Medien und Interaktion
  0.3.03.2023
  PK NRW
• Investigating Gender-Sterotyped Interactions With Virtual Agents in Public Spaces
  Presented at the 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (IEEE RO-MAN 2023), Neapel Italy
  01.09.2022
  IEEE Explore
• Skilled: Interdisciplinary, mixed methods investigations towards Socioempathic AI-based Dialogues.
  Poster presentation at the 12th Media Psychology Conference, Aachen Germany
  09.09.2021
  MediaPsych