Addressing joint action challenges in HRI: Insights from psychology and philosophy.

The vast expansion of research in human-robot interactions (HRI) these last decades has been accompanied by the design of increasingly skilled robots for engaging in joint actions with humans. However, these advances have encountered significant challenges to ensure fluent interactions and sustain human motivation through the different steps of joint action. After exploring current literature on joint action in HRI, leading to a more precise definition of these challenges, the present article proposes some perspectives borrowed from psychology and philosophy showing the key role of communication in human interactions. From mutual recognition between individuals to the expression of commitment and social expectations, we argue that communicative cues can facilitate coordination, prediction, and motivation in the context of joint action. The description of several notions thus suggests that some communicative capacities can be implemented in the context of joint action for HRI, leading to an integrated perspective of robotic communication.

Positive association of Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers, not Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors, with an increased vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients hospitalized for suspected COVID-19 pneumonia

BackgroundAngiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) type 2 is the receptor of SARS-CoV-2 for entry into lungs cells. Because ACE-2 may be modulated by ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), there is concern that patients treated with ACEIs and ARBs are at higher risk for COVID-19 infection. AimThis study sought to analyze the association of COVID-19 with previous treatment with ACEI and ARB. MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 684 consecutive patients hospitalized for suspected COVID-19 pneumonia and tested by PCR. Patients were split into 2 groups, whether (group 1, n=484) or not (group 2, n=250) COVID-19 was confirmed. Multivariate adjusted comparisons included a propensity score analysis. ResultsAge was 63.6{+/-}18.7 years, and 302(44%) were female. Hypertension was present in 42.6% and 38.4% patients of group 1 and 2, respectively (P=0.28). A treatment with ARBs (20.7% versus 12.0%, respectively, OR 1.92, 95% confidence interval [1.23-2.98], p=0.004) was more frequent in patients of group 1 than in group 2. No difference was found for treatment with ACEIs (12.7% vs 15.7%, respectively, OR 0.81 [0.52-1.26], p=0.35). Propensity score matched multivariate logistic regression confirmed a significant association between COVID-19 and a previous treatment with ARBs (adjusted OR 2.18 [1.29-3.67], p=0.004). Significant interaction between ARBs and ACEIs for the risk of COVID-19 was observed in patients aged>60, women, and hypertensive patients. ConclusionThis study suggests that ACEIs and ARBs are not similarly associated with the COVID-19. In this retrospective series, patients with COVID-19 pneumonia received more frequently a previous treatment with ARBs, than patients without COVID-19.