We are delighted to invite you to submit your papers to the workshop on "Enhancing Human Engagement in Social Assistive Robotics: Exploring Interaction, Cognitive Load, and Adaptive Support (https://perso.ensta-paris.fr/~tapus/eng/2025-IROSWS/Home.html) ", which will be held at the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IEEE/RSJ IROS 2025), Hangzhou, China, on October 2025.

As Social Assistive Robotics (SAR) advances, enhancing human engagement remains a critical challenge. This workshop at IROS 2025 will explore interaction strategies, cognitive load management, and adaptive support mechanisms to improve user experience in SAR. By bridging robotics, human factors, and AI-driven adaptation, we aim to foster interdisciplinary discussions on how robots can dynamically adjust to user needs, fostering more intuitive and effective interactions.

Building on previous SAR events, this workshop introduces novel insights, including AI-enhanced tactile sensing for safer interaction, improved autonomy and safety in assistive robots, humanized conversational agents for medical applications, long-term engagement assessment in real-world settings, and interdisciplinary perspectives on adaptive robot behavior. By integrating robotics, AI, cognitive science, and human-computer interaction, we offer a holistic approach to improving SAR effectiveness across diverse contexts.

Aligned with IROS 2025’s theme of “human-robotics frontiers”, this workshop will feature expert keynotes, interactive panels, and presentations from contributing authors. Attendees will engage in discussions shaping the next generation of SAR, fostering collaboration between researchers, industry practitioners, and policymakers.

Topics of Interest

We invite submissions that address (but are not limited to) the following topics:

• Methods for detecting and interpreting user engagement
• Adaptive interaction strategies based on cognitive and affective states
• Multimodal sensing and fusion for user state estimation
• Measuring and modeling cognitive load in HRI
• Engagement-driven robot behavior generation
• Personalization and long-term adaptation in SARs
• Evaluation methodologies for engagement in SAR contexts
• Case studies in education, eldercare, therapy, and daily living support
• Ethical and accessibility considerations in assistive HRI

Submission Guidelines

All papers must be original and not simultaneously submitted to another journal or conference. The following paper categories are welcome:

• Full papers (up to 6 pages, including references)
• Short papers / Work-in-progress / Position papers (2–4 pages)

Organizers

Organizing committee

• Prof. Adriana Tapus, ENSTA, Institut Polytechnique de Paris
• Prof. Carlos Cifuentes, UWE Bristol
• Xiaoxuan Hei, ENSTA, Institut Polytechnique de Paris

Venue

The conference will be held in Hangzhou, China

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to xiaoxuan.hei@ensta.fr