This systematic review examines the evolution of decision-making and control systems in autonomous and social robotics, mapping five robot generations from precision-based systems to socially autonomous agents capable of meaningful human interaction. Methods: Over 2,000 peer-reviewed studies were collected from Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, then screened against criteria emphasizing autonomy, social engagement, and theoretical innovation. Results: Significant advancements in AI integration, human-robot interaction, and self-management capabilities are identified, though gaps remain in emotional adaptability, ethical frameworks, and energy efficiency. Conclusion: By providing a comprehensive theoretical foundation and highlighting emerging trends, this review guides future research toward creating socially autonomous robots that integrate insights from engineering, cognitive science, and ethics, ultimately transforming applications in healthcare, education, and customer service.
Keywords
Human-Robot Interaction, Robot, Social Robot, Autonomous Robot.
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CRediT Author Statement
The authors confirm contribution to the paper as follows:
Conceptualization: Ashraf Gaffar and Fulayjan Alanazi;
Methodology: Fulayjan Alanazi;
Writing- Original Draft Preparation: Fulayjan Alanazi;
Visualization: Ashraf Gaffar and Fulayjan Alanazi;
Investigation: Ashraf Gaffar and Fulayjan Alanazi;
Supervision: Fulayjan Alanazi;
Writing- Reviewing and Editing: Ashraf Gaffar and Fulayjan Alanazi;
All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Acknowledgements
Dr. Gaffer founded the RITE Lab in 2012 as a robotics educational platform, initiating the collection and organization of robot-related research, including generational analysis and classification. Fulayjan contributed to this work by expanding and completing the classification framework in 2024. Dr. Oliver provided reviewing and editing guidance and advisement to Fulayjan throughout the process. The second author expresses gratitude for being sponsored by Jouf University as a PhD student.
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Ashraf Gaffar
Iowa State University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ames, Iowa State, USA.
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Cite this article
Ashraf Gaffar and Fulayjan Alanazi, “A Generational Review of Human Robot Interaction: The Evolution and Development of Socially Autonomous Robots”, Journal of Machine and Computing, vol.6, no.1, pp. 385-397, 2026, doi: 10.53759/7669/jmc202606028.
