Peek into the `White-Box': A Field Study on Bystander Engagement with Urban Robot Uncertainty

TL;DR

This work tackles how urban robots bearing uncertainty can be better integrated into public spaces by involving bystanders as incidental participants. It introduces a speculative peephole design that hides robot uncertainty behind binocular lenses, prompting non-intrusive, curiosity-driven engagement tested in a Wizard of Oz field study across three campus locations. The study yields empirical insights into when bystanders intervene, how such engagement shapes perceptions and trust, and how design choices like friction, gestures, and audio cues influence outcomes. Collectively, the findings suggest bystander involvement can mitigate operational imperfections while enhancing public acceptance, and they offer design implications for enabling implicit, non-obtrusive casual collaboration in real urban environments.

Abstract

Uncertainty inherently exists in the autonomous decision-making process of robots. Involving humans in resolving this uncertainty not only helps robots mitigate it but is also crucial for improving human-robot interactions. However, in public urban spaces filled with unpredictability, robots often face heightened uncertainty without direct human collaborators. This study investigates how robots can engage bystanders for assistance in public spaces when encountering uncertainty and examines how these interactions impact bystanders' perceptions and attitudes towards robots. We designed and tested a speculative `peephole' concept that engages bystanders in resolving urban robot uncertainty. Our design is guided by considerations of non-intrusiveness and eliciting initiative in an implicit manner, considering bystanders' unique role as non-obligated participants in relation to urban robots. Drawing from field study findings, we highlight the potential of involving bystanders to mitigate urban robots' technological imperfections to both address operational challenges and foster public acceptance of urban robots. Furthermore, we offer design implications to encourage bystanders' involvement in mitigating the imperfections.

Figures (6)

• Figure 1: Concept development from initial sketches to final implementation: (A) Concept sketches, interaction illustrations, and a paper prototype in the early stage; (B) Robot prototype during the initial deployment, with a cutaway view and screen display content; (C) The iterated design concept featuring an added animated flagpole.
• Figure 2: Wizard of Oz set-up overview
• Figure 3: Varying levels of attention displayed by passersby while remaining indifferent.
• Figure 4: Passersby looking around and searching after spotting the robot.
• Figure 5: Interaction sequence of a passerby getting involved and resolving the robot's uncertainty, with additional observations supported by supplementary images and quotations.