%A Bremner,Paul %A Leonards,Ute %D 2016 %J Frontiers in Psychology %C %F %G English %K human-robot interaction,Gestures,Humanoid Robotics,teleoperated robot,multimodal communication %Q %R 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00183 %W %L %M %P %7 %8 2016-February-17 %9 Original Research %+ Paul Bremner,Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of The West of England,Bristol, UK,paul.bremner@brl.ac.uk %# %! Iconic Gestures for Robot Avatars, Recognition and Integration with Speech %* %< %T Iconic Gestures for Robot Avatars, Recognition and Integration with Speech %U https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00183 %V 7 %0 JOURNAL ARTICLE %@ 1664-1078 %X Co-verbal gestures are an important part of human communication, improving its efficiency and efficacy for information conveyance. One possible means by which such multi-modal communication might be realized remotely is through the use of a tele-operated humanoid robot avatar. Such avatars have been previously shown to enhance social presence and operator salience. We present a motion tracking based tele-operation system for the NAO robot platform that allows direct transmission of speech and gestures produced by the operator. To assess the capabilities of this system for transmitting multi-modal communication, we have conducted a user study that investigated if robot-produced iconic gestures are comprehensible, and are integrated with speech. Robot performed gesture outcomes were compared directly to those for gestures produced by a human actor, using a within participant experimental design. We show that iconic gestures produced by a tele-operated robot are understood by participants when presented alone, almost as well as when produced by a human. More importantly, we show that gestures are integrated with speech when presented as part of a multi-modal communication equally well for human and robot performances.