The humanoid robots are coming. No longer confined to science fiction, robots are moving beyond manufacturing and logistics and into spaces primarily designed for people – our workplaces, retail spaces and even our homes. But if robots are going to become part of everyday life, we need to reframe the design challenge and think beyond functionality. This next generation of robots must be designed to fit in with established human life, and that means we need to design both form and function in ways that allow for intuitive interactions and that inspire our trust.  

Robots are not new. They’ve been a feature of human imagination for millennia. The Greeks mythologized “automatons” like the bronze figures in Homer’s Iliad. During the Renaissance, Da Vinci designed a mechanical knight. Teague itself was founded in 1926 - just six years after the first modern reference to a “robot” by Czech writer Karel Čapek - and for the last century, our focus has been designing for human needs in complex environments.  

Human-centered design is a framework that maps and understands the whole spectrum of human needs, behaviors, beliefs, expectations – and even our fears. 

Designing humanoid robots that humans trust is perhaps the greatest design challenge of all. Popular culture and science fiction have predisposed us to be nervous about their arrival – from iRobot to Terminator, humanoid robots and humans rarely “co-exist peacefully.”  

These are of course cultural anxieties, but culture shapes human behavior and beliefs in complex ways. Human-centered design is a framework that maps and understands the whole spectrum of human needs, behaviors, beliefs, expectations – and even our fears. By understanding the human experience, we can design humanoid robots that re-write the script and are approachable and, most importantly, trusted.  

Designing for intuitive trust.

Trust is built through clarity of intent. As humans, much of that clarity comes, not from language, but from body language. Tiny, almost imperceptible behaviors that act as subtle cues to others. In spaces shared with humanoid robots, people must be able to anticipate and understand a robot’s actions. We look to human body language for design solutions and translate these into the robotics realm. Lighting cues, directional signals, and motion language can communicate intent, reduce ambiguity and create safer, more comfortable interactions with robots. 

In collaboration with Under Control Robotics - a company that manufactures humanoid robots for hazardous applications in such as construction, mining, and refueling - Teague applied human-centered design principles to explore robotics form and signaling. Directional lighting like the blinkers on a car were used to indicate slowing, stopping, and change of direction, helping the people working in these busy, often dangerous environments read robot behavior as quickly and confidently as they would when passing traffic on the freeway. 

Trust is built through clarity of intent.

Control is also an essential component of trust. People need to feel in command of humanoid robots. Overrides should be accessible – even if the likelihood is they are rarely used. Simply seeing where the off-switch is provides a visual reminder that we humans remain in charge. Designing humanoid robots – both their hardware and their software – requires integrating different modalities in a way that means controls are intuitively understood by people of any age and intelligence. In this way, communication – visual, spatial, audio and behavioral – with these autonomous machines can be seamless and immediate.  

Form follows function.

Every robot should serve the context in which they operate. Humanoid robots tend to be preferred for tasks in environments that were designed for humans. However, it doesn’t follow that these machines should perfectly imitate humans. Instead, trying to replicate anthropomorphic features or expressions can be a one-way ticket to uncanny valley, where trust is hard to come by.

Human-centered design means anthropomorphic features should only be used when they enhance our ability to comprehend or use humanoid robots. As ever in design, form needs to follow function.

Every robot should serve the context in which they operate.

In factories and warehouses, tool-like, durable robots communicate purpose and often the need for distance without intimidating fellow (human) co-workers. In houses, shops, offices, and restaurants, more humanoid form factors make sense. A humanoid form helps us feel at home with robots. And here, wear and tear, something manufacturers might otherwise seek to design out, can help build trust. Perfection in the context of an imperfect world makes things stand out. If a humanoid robot appears a little worn from use, we’ll know they’re a long-trusted helpmate around the house. They can become ‘part of the furniture’, albeit more intelligent.

Hybrid futures and human collaboration. 

People come in all shapes and sizes. Likewise, humanoid robots will not have a single form factor. Some may have legs, while others roll on wheels. Some may have hands, some pincers. There will be humanoids, but also quadropeds. Different types of robot will not only need to work with humans, but also each other.  
 
Robots that adopt the same interaction paradigms and body language as humans, like tilting our head to indicate attention or putting our hand to our chin to signal deep thought (aka signal processing) may inspire greater trust than ones that feel, well, more robotic. For the most seamless interactions with humanoid robots, design needs to factor in how humans are already programmed and work with those often subconscious expectations, not against them.  

 
The role of human-centered design.

Teague’s approach draws directly from observing humans in real-world contexts, establishing design principles based on behavior and needs rather than speculation or science fiction. These principles guide decisions on what can be touched, how signals are communicated, and how form supports function. While the form factor and applications of robots will differ, the goal is universal: robots that are safe, reliable, and trusted by people who depend on them. 

Listen to the full discussion. 

For a deeper discussion on humanoid robots, form, signaling, and real-world interaction, listen to Matt McElvogue on the Soft Robotics podcast from IEEE Robotics and Automation Society. This episode explores how human-centered design principles can shape robots that are trusted, usable, and genuinely collaborative. 
 
Stream the full episode here:

Listen Now