EARS · Environment-Adaptive Robot Sound: Towards a Framework for Auditory Communication in Public Space

Mobile service robots are increasingly present in public space, yet unlike cars they move near pedestrians without standardized signaling conventions. To be safe and accepted, they must be perceptible and pleasant in their communication. Auditory cues are central for this as robots may operate outside pedestrians’ field of view or cannot be seen due to visual impairments. However, robot sounds emitted during locomotion vary widely in perceptibility between robot types, and robot sounds rated as pleasant can paradoxically be the hardest to perceive. Static acoustic vehicle alerting systems (AVAS), as used in electric cars, help only partially to foster perceptibility: they are not sufficiently tuned to perception, are not validated for robots, and do not adapt to ambient noise, thus risking inaudibility in noisy settings or annoyance in quiet ones.This project advances human-centered, environment-adaptive sound design for mobile robots. I will A) quantify how ambient noise impacts perception of robot sounds in a VR experiment, and B) based on this, build a predictive model linking acoustic features to perception, which will inform C) a framework on implicit auditory communication in public space, and D) the development of a context-adaptive AVAS prototype that adjusts robot sounds to ambient noise. Its effectiveness will be E) tested in a field study including participants with sensory impairment, allowing F) to derive guidelines for accessible design. Finally, I will G) disseminate insights and materials to benefit research, industry, and public audiences.By combining DTU expertise in human factors and auditory modeling with Chalmers’ applied acoustics and my background in audio-focused mobility studies, experimental psychology, and human-robot interaction, the project will create a unique interdisciplinary bridge that improves robot sound design and equips me with skills to establish independence at the intersection of mobility, psychoacoustics, and robotics.