• Computer Science > Robotics [Submitted on 20 Jan 2026] Title:A Decade of Human-Robot Interaction through Immersive Lenses: A Literature Review on Extended Reality as a Research Instrument in Social Robotics View PDF HTML (experimental)Abstract:Over the past decade, extended reality (XR), including virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, gained attention as a research instrument in human-robot interaction studies, but remains underexplored in empirical investigations of social robotics. • To map the field, we systematically reviewed empirical studies from 2015 to 2025. • Of 6,527 peer-reviewed articles, only 33 met strict inclusion criteria. • We examined (1) how XR and virtual social robots are used and in which contexts, (2) data collection and analysis methods, (3) demographics of the researchers and participants, and (4) the stated challenges and future agendas. • Our findings show that social XR-HRI research is still dominated by laboratory simulations, while crucial specifications like used hardware, software, and robots are often not reported. • Robots typically act as passive and less interactive visual stimuli, while the rich biosignal (e.g., eye-tracking) and logging functions of modern head-mounted displays remain largely untapped.
Article Summaries:
- A systematic review of 33 empirical studies (2015‑2025) shows that extended‑reality (XR) tools-virtual, augmented, and mixed reality-remain underused in social‑robot research. Most work is confined to laboratory simulations, with frequent omissions of hardware, software, and robot specifications. Robots are often passive visual stimuli, while rich biosignal and logging capabilities of head‑mounted displays are largely ignored. Samples are predominantly young, male, Western, and tech‑centric, with limited demographic reporting. The authors outline a five‑phase roadmap to advance XR‑HRI, emphasizing methodological innovation, ecological validity, interaction quality, sample diversity, and a formal taxonomy.
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