{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,13]],"date-time":"2026-03-13T08:55:55Z","timestamp":1773392155301,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,30]],"date-time":"2025-04-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1745971200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"EPSRC and NIHR funds","award":["EP\/W031809\/1, IMACTIVE"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["EP\/W031809\/1, IMACTIVE"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Information"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Cognitive load refers to the mental resources used for executing simultaneous tasks. Since these resources are limited, individuals can only process a specific amount of information at a time. Daily activities often involve mentally demanding tasks, which is why social robots have been proposed to simplify them and support users. This study aimed to verify whether and how a social robot can enhance the performance and support the management of cognitive load. Participants completed a baseline where a cognitive activity was carried out without support, and three other conditions where similar activities of increasing difficulty were collaboratively made with the NAO robot. In each condition, errors, time, and perceived cognitive load were measured. Results revealed that the robot improved performance and perceived cognitive load when compared to the baseline, but this support was then thwarted by excessive levels of cognitive load. Future research should focus on developing and designing collaborative human\u2013robot interactions that consider the user\u2019s mental demand, to promote effective and personalized robotic help for independent living.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/info16050374","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,1]],"date-time":"2025-05-01T09:16:12Z","timestamp":1746090972000},"page":"374","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["How Human\u2013Robot Interaction Can Influence Task Performance and Perceived Cognitive Load at Different Support Conditions"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1273-8419","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Simone","family":"Varrasi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5192-1756","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roberto","family":"Vagnetti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Manchester Institute of Education, School of Environment, Education and Development, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0972-9722","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicola","family":"Camp","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sport Science, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6970-5779","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"John","family":"Hough","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sport Science, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2677-2650","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alessandro","family":"Di Nuovo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Computing, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S1 2NU, UK"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-5470-142X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sabrina","family":"Castellano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2554-3701","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniele","family":"Magistro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sport Science, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"107","article-title":"Working Memory\u2014An Overview","volume":"44","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sprache Stimme Gehor"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"176","DOI":"10.4103\/jehp.jehp_643_19","article-title":"A Systematized Review of Cognitive Load Theory in Health Sciences Education and a Perspective from Cognitive Neuroscience","volume":"9","author":"Ghanbari","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. 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