Project Description

Robot Encounters examines how humans perceive their own safety when in the presence of robots. Researchers designed a study with two conditions: robots that are goal directed (searching for something) and robots simply roaming. Further, the study considers humans who are alone and who are with another person when encountering robots. The results of this work currently are in press, with a follow-up study concerning robot perceived intelligence in process. The team consists of social scientists, electrical engineers, data scientists, and roboticists to achieve transdisciplinary work in the field of community embedded robots. The findings from the various methodologies employed led to a series of design questions that the engineers building these systems might consider.

Research Questions

• Based on its level of autonomy, mobility, and interactive capabilities, how much uncertainty is this robot likely to incite? What capabilities might community members attribute to it?
• Is this robot better suited for interactions or encounters? Is it important that the robot can interact if approached by a human?
• What does the robot‘s visual design suggest about it’s demeanor and/or purpose?
• What other contexts, situations, or robots does this robot likely remind people of? What types of emotions do those references trigger?
• Are the members of the relevant community a population that might react strongly to the robot? If so, could their reactions inspire vandalism, harm, or danger to either the robot or other humans present during encounters?
• How might the robot‘s defined use case impact future encounters or interactions with robots in this type of environment?