In the context of Moonshot Goal 1, which explores the use of Cybernetic Avatars to overcome physical and spatial
constraints, this workshop series focuses on the human challenges accompanying these technological advances.
As robotic avatars become increasingly intelligent and capable of cognitive, physical, and perceptual support,
their effective integration into society depends on solid foundations in psychology, cognitive science,
artificial intelligence, and human factors, all core areas reflected in the RO-MAN community.
A central challenge addressed by this workshop series is how to design, evaluate, and prototype avatar control systems
that preserve a robust Sense of Agency (SoA), particularly under constraints such as latency, limited embodiment,
and AI mediation. Unlike conventional human–robot interaction, avatar control involves users experiencing the
system as an extension of themselves rather than as an external agent, raising fundamental questions about agency,
responsibility, learning, and identity.
The first edition of this workshop examined the perceptual and cognitive foundations of hybrid control systems,
focusing on how users experience embodiment, control, and self-extension in avatar-mediated environments.
Building on this foundation, the present edition shifts attention toward assistive intelligence and its role in
supporting users in real-world tasks.
Aim & Scope
This edition focuses on how AI assistance should be calibrated in such systems. While AI is often treated as a
performance enhancer, its long-term impact on user agency remains insufficiently understood. Substitutive AI,
which may override user input to optimize short-term outcomes, risks reducing skill acquisition and encouraging
overreliance. In contrast, augmentative AI can act as transparent cognitive scaffolding, enhancing user
capabilities while preserving understanding and control.
The workshop adopts an interdisciplinary perspective, integrating cognitive neuroscience, shared autonomy, and
theoretical frameworks such as the Extended Mind Thesis. AI is framed not as a black-box tool, but as a
collaborator whose design directly shapes whether human agency is strengthened or diminished. Beyond theoretical
discussions, participants will engage in hands-on prototyping and evaluation, with the goal of establishing
practical design guidelines for agency-aware assistive systems.
Key Topics
Human–AI shared autonomy and control allocation
Augmentative vs. substitutive AI assistance
Trust calibration and transparency in intelligent systems
Effects of AI assistance on skill learning and retention
Cognitive and perceptual aspects of embodiment and self-extension
Workshop Structure
This workshop is a hands-on workshop where participants will experiment, engineer, and experience
differences in perceived sense of agency depending on control parameters.
The workshop is structured into three cohesive sessions, balancing theory, experimentation, and synthesis:
Session 1: Theoretical Foundations of Avatar Agency (60 minutes)
Talk 1:The Neuroscience of Agency in Embodied Systems (TENTATIVE)
Talk 2:Liberating the Body: Cognitive Symbiosis with Robotic Agents (TENTATIVE)
Talk 3:AI as Amplifier or Eroder of Human Agency: Evidence from Automation, Robotics, and HRI (TENTATIVE)
Participants self-organize in multidisciplinary teams and select from different tracks, designed for
scalability and inclusivity. All tracks aim to explore how system-level design choices affect perceived
control and embodiment
Session 3: Presentations and Theoretical Integration (90 minutes)
Team presentations, demo showcases
Interactive panel discussion:How can the avatar enhance my self-efficacy?
Summary and guidelines for designing SoA-aware AI-assisted control architectures
Submission Information
We warmly invite contributions on the integration of robotic avatars and embodied AI systems,
with a particular focus on sense of agency, perceptual feedback, and human–robot co-adaptation.
Topics of interest include methods, tools, datasets, and case studies addressing embodiment,
multimodal interaction, synchronization, latency and control, and real-world deployment of
human–avatar systems. Contributions should emphasize new ideas, practical insights, and experimental
or applied perspectives on designing and evaluating agency in robotic systems.
Beside regular papers (6-8 pages), position papers (6-8 pages) and
short papers (2-4 pages) are also welcome.
All the contributions to the workshop must be submitted according to the standard
IEEE format as specified in the RO-MAN guidelines.
Papers will be refereed and accepted on the basis of their merit, originality, and relevance.
Each paper will be reviewed by at least two Program Committee members.
All accepted contributions will be presented by the authors in the final poster session
(free format; any poster format is acceptable). Papers must be submitted electronically via the
submission form
Startup Spotlight
Startup and industry teams developing embodied AI, robotic avatar systems, and AI-assistive technologies are
especially encouraged to present their work. Submission for startup spotlight can be in the academic accepted formats
listed above, or in the form of presentation slides (max. 10 slides) via the same
submission form.
Selected teams will present in a dedicated Spotlight space in their preferred format (in addition to posters
or presentations we strongly encourage demo presentation), highlighting real-world deployment,
integration challenges, and user experience considerations related to agency and embodiment.
