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Do Looks Matter? Exploring Functional and Aesthetic Design Preferences for a Robotic Guide Dog

Aviv L. Cohav, A. Xinran Gong, J. Taery Kim, Clint Zeagler, Sehoon Ha, Bruce N. Walker

TL;DR

This study investigates how to design a robot dog guide that suits blind and visually impaired users by examining functional and aesthetic preferences through a two-stage, user-centered approach. Using Stage 1 interviews (n=9) and Stage 2 a large online survey (n=100) with BVI and sighted participants, the authors identify priorities such as GPS/navigation integration, waterproof, touch-friendly materials, a dog-like yet functional appearance, and multiple control modalities (voice, harness buttons, gestures). Key findings include strong interest in a uniform identifier, adjustable height, long battery life with spare options, and a focus on maintaining guiding performance with intelligent disobedience in safety-critical scenarios, alongside considerations of social acceptance and privacy. These insights inform a roadmap for prototyping a robot dog guide that balances reliability, user comfort, and social integration for widespread adoption.

Abstract

Dog guides offer an effective mobility solution for blind or visually impaired (BVI) individuals, but conventional dog guides have limitations including the need for care, potential distractions, societal prejudice, high costs, and limited availability. To address these challenges, we seek to develop a robot dog guide capable of performing the tasks of a conventional dog guide, enhanced with additional features. In this work, we focus on design research to identify functional and aesthetic design concepts to implement into a quadrupedal robot. The aesthetic design remains relevant even for BVI users due to their sensitivity toward societal perceptions and the need for smooth integration into society. We collected data through interviews and surveys to answer specific design questions pertaining to the appearance, texture, features, and method of controlling and communicating with the robot. Our study identified essential and preferred features for a future robot dog guide, which are supported by relevant statistics aligning with each suggestion. These findings will inform the future development of user-centered designs to effectively meet the needs of BVI individuals.

Do Looks Matter? Exploring Functional and Aesthetic Design Preferences for a Robotic Guide Dog

TL;DR

This study investigates how to design a robot dog guide that suits blind and visually impaired users by examining functional and aesthetic preferences through a two-stage, user-centered approach. Using Stage 1 interviews (n=9) and Stage 2 a large online survey (n=100) with BVI and sighted participants, the authors identify priorities such as GPS/navigation integration, waterproof, touch-friendly materials, a dog-like yet functional appearance, and multiple control modalities (voice, harness buttons, gestures). Key findings include strong interest in a uniform identifier, adjustable height, long battery life with spare options, and a focus on maintaining guiding performance with intelligent disobedience in safety-critical scenarios, alongside considerations of social acceptance and privacy. These insights inform a roadmap for prototyping a robot dog guide that balances reliability, user comfort, and social integration for widespread adoption.

Abstract

Dog guides offer an effective mobility solution for blind or visually impaired (BVI) individuals, but conventional dog guides have limitations including the need for care, potential distractions, societal prejudice, high costs, and limited availability. To address these challenges, we seek to develop a robot dog guide capable of performing the tasks of a conventional dog guide, enhanced with additional features. In this work, we focus on design research to identify functional and aesthetic design concepts to implement into a quadrupedal robot. The aesthetic design remains relevant even for BVI users due to their sensitivity toward societal perceptions and the need for smooth integration into society. We collected data through interviews and surveys to answer specific design questions pertaining to the appearance, texture, features, and method of controlling and communicating with the robot. Our study identified essential and preferred features for a future robot dog guide, which are supported by relevant statistics aligning with each suggestion. These findings will inform the future development of user-centered designs to effectively meet the needs of BVI individuals.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 27 sections, 8 figures, 2 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Related Work
  3. Study Design
  4. Stage 1: Interviews
  5. Stage 2: Large-Scale Surveys
  6. Survey Participants
  7. Question Differentiation
  8. Results
  9. Initial Impressions and Concerns
  10. Form Factors: Appearance and Texture
  11. Resemblance to Real Dog
  12. Physical Appeal
  13. Uniform Identifier
  14. Color
  15. Outer Surface, Texture and Material
  16. ...and 12 more sections

Figures (8)

  • Figure 1: Participants' initial impressions of the concept of a robot dog guide in Likert scale rating, BVI n = 35, ST n = 56.
  • Figure 2: Likert scale ratings from BVI participants on the level of importance of potential features for the robot dog guide to have, n = 37.
  • Figure 3: Distribution of desired color (a) and outer surface texture (b) of robot as indicated by BVI participants, n = 41.
  • Figure 4: Distribution of desired height (a) and weight (b) of robot as indicated by BVI participants, n = 41.
  • Figure 5: Desired methods indicated by BVI participants for giving commands to (a) and receiving communication signals from (b) the robot, n = 35.
  • ...and 3 more figures