Logo
ScienceStack
Table of Contents
Fetching ...
Sign In

Walking with Robots: Video Analysis of Human-Robot Interactions in Transit Spaces

Barry Brown, Hannah Pelikan, Mathias Broth

TL;DR

Findings from video analysis of publicly deployed cleaning robots in a transit space, a major commercial airport, using their navigational'troubles as a tool to document what robots currently lack in interactional competence are presented.

Abstract

The proliferation of robots in public spaces necessitates a deeper understanding of how these robots can interact with those they share the space with. In this paper, we present findings from video analysis of publicly deployed cleaning robots in a transit space, a major commercial airport, using their navigational 'troubles' as a tool to document what robots currently lack in interactional competence. We demonstrate that these robots, while technically proficient, can disrupt the social order of a space due to their inability to understand core aspects of human movement: mutual adjustment to others, the significance of understanding social groups, and the purpose of different locations. In discussion we argue for exploring a new design space of movement: socially-aware movement. By developing "strong concepts" that treat movement as an interactional and collaborative accomplishment, we can create systems that better integrate into the everyday rhythms of public life.

Walking with Robots: Video Analysis of Human-Robot Interactions in Transit Spaces

TL;DR

Findings from video analysis of publicly deployed cleaning robots in a transit space, a major commercial airport, using their navigational'troubles as a tool to document what robots currently lack in interactional competence are presented.

Abstract

The proliferation of robots in public spaces necessitates a deeper understanding of how these robots can interact with those they share the space with. In this paper, we present findings from video analysis of publicly deployed cleaning robots in a transit space, a major commercial airport, using their navigational 'troubles' as a tool to document what robots currently lack in interactional competence. We demonstrate that these robots, while technically proficient, can disrupt the social order of a space due to their inability to understand core aspects of human movement: mutual adjustment to others, the significance of understanding social groups, and the purpose of different locations. In discussion we argue for exploring a new design space of movement: socially-aware movement. By developing "strong concepts" that treat movement as an interactional and collaborative accomplishment, we can create systems that better integrate into the everyday rhythms of public life.
Paper Structure (22 sections, 4 figures, 1 table)

This paper contains 22 sections, 4 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Prior work
  3. Video analysis of robots in public
  4. Walking as Social Practice
  5. Robot Navigation
  6. Method
  7. Data Collection: Video-Ethnographic Fieldwork
  8. Data
  9. Video Analysis
  10. EMCA Approach
  11. Ethics and consent
  12. Findings
  13. The airport as a transit space
  14. "Where are you going?": The halting problem
  15. "Who are you with?": Understanding groups
  16. ...and 7 more sections

Figures (4)

  • Figure 1: Robot cleaning at an airport gate. (1) moving to the gate when it is closed. (2) A few moments later, people disembark through that gate. (3) Robot gets stuck in the flow of people. As the crowd go around the robot it stops and although it does not block the way, arriving passengers need to walk around the robot which is positioned in front of the gate area.
  • Figure 2: (1) Two separate groups (couple1 and couple2) encounter a cleaning robot in their path. (2) The robot stops, prompting both couples to stop. They now need to go round the robot as their path is blocked. The groups go in different directions (3a & 3b), the first couple (3a) approach the robot which then starts to move (3b) as the second group head off to the right. The first couple continue (4) and then turn to look at the robot (5a) The robot starts to move rapidly (5b) and the second group need to move quickly to not be blocked by the robot. The mother starts to pull slightly (6) on her child's hand. Both groups stare at the robot as it first halted, and secondly as it starts to move and seemingly 'race' the mother and child (5a & 6).
  • Figure 3: A group are queuing for service at an airport cafe (1). The robot attempts to clean between the first and the next queue member (2). Despite attempts to move out of the way and accommodate the robot (3 & 4) it stays motionless (5). Then it turns to move directly at one of the queue members (6), causing amusement amongst those waiting. Finally, it suddenly turns and goes around the queue on the left (7).
  • Figure 4: Robot cleaning in front of people waiting outside the toilet. This image has been enhanced to highlight the waiting passengers and the cleaning robot.