Virtual reality in human-robot interaction: Challenges and benefits

Virtual reality (VR) technology has been increasingly employed in human-robot interaction (HRI) research to enhance the immersion and realism of the interaction. However, the integration of VR into HRI also introduces new challenges, such as latency, mismatch between virtual and real environments and potential adverse effects on human users. Despite these challenges, the use of VR in HRI has the potential to provide numerous benefits, including improved communication, increased safety and enhanced training and education. Yet, little research has been done by scholars to review the state of the art of VR applications in human-robot interaction. To bridge the gap, this paper provides an overview of the challenges and benefits of using VR in HRI, as well as current research in the field and future directions for development. It has been found that robots are getting more personalized, interactive and engaging than ever; and with the popularization of virtual reality innovations, we might be able to foresee the wide adoption of VR in controlling robots to fulfill various tasks of hospitals, schools and factories. Still, there are several challenges, such as the need for more advanced VR technologies to provide more realistic and immersive experiences, the development of more human-like robot models to improve social interactions and the need for better methods of evaluating the effectiveness of VR in human-robot interaction.