Robotic physical movement adjustment based on user emotional state

A robot comprising:

• a sensor receiver for receiving sensor readings from a set of one or more sensors that detect an emotional state of a human who is currently observing a robotic action by a robot, wherein the robotic action is a physical movement performed by the robot, wherein the emotional state of the human is fear, and wherein the emotional state of fear in the human is caused by the human observing the robotic action by the robot;
• an instruction receiver for receiving a computer-executable program for causing the robot to modify a velocity of the robotic action based on the sensor readings that describe the emotional state of the human;
• and
• a robotic controller processor for:
• determining, based on the sensor readings, the emotional state of fear the human caused by the human observing the robotic action by the robot, and
• executing the computer-executable program in order to modify the velocity of the robotic action in response to determining, based on the sensor readings, the emotional state of fear in the human caused by the human observing the robotic action by the robot, wherein the robotic controller processor modifies the velocity of the robotic action by reducing a velocity of movements made by the robot while performing a physical task.

A computer program product for controlling a robot, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code readable and executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

• receiving sensor readings from one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are monitoring a human in real time, wherein the human is currently observing a robotic action by a robot, and wherein the robotic action is a physical movement performed by the robot;
• determining, based on the sensor readings, an emotional state of the human caused by the human observing the robotic action by the robot, wherein the emotional state of the human is fear;
• and
• in response to determining, based on the sensor readings, that the emotional state of the human caused by the human observing the robotic action by the robot is fear, reducing a velocity of movements made by the robot while performing a physical task.