SRL Proxemics Paper Accepted at CHI 2026

We are excited to announce the acceptance of our paper, "SRL Proxemics: Spatial Guidelines for Supernumerary Robotic Limbs in Near-Body Interactions", at CHI 2026.

As supernumerary robotic limbs (SRLs)—extra arms or fingers that can be worn on the body—become more prevalent, a fundamental question arises: How should these limbs behave when they are close to the user's body?

Establishing the Rules of Near-Body Interaction

Led by Hongyu Zhou and a team of researchers from the aid-lab and the University of Tokyo, this work establishes the first formal spatial guidelines for SRLs. Drawing from the concept of "proxemics"—the study of how humans use space during social interaction—the team investigated how users perceive the movement and presence of robotic limbs within their personal space.

Key Contributions

• User Comfort and Safety: The study identifies "comfort zones" for robotic limb movement, ensuring that interactions feel natural and non-threatening.
• Spatial Mapping: The paper provides a comprehensive map of how SRLs should position themselves relative to the user's body for various tasks.
• HCI Guidelines: These findings offer a foundational framework for researchers and engineers designing the next generation of wearable robotics.

This research represents a significant step toward making supernumerary limbs a seamless and socially acceptable part of the human body. We look forward to presenting this work in Barcelona!

Read more on our Publications page or via DOI.