Community-Situated Mixed-Methods Robotics Research for Children and Childhood Spaces

Terran Mott and Tom Williams

Pioneers Workshop at HRI 2022

Robots which are used in ethically fraught childhood spaces -- such as therapy -- are often teleoperated by adult experts. In such contexts, HRI researchers should leverage mixed-methods approaches. They can build a thorough qualitative understanding of adult operators' needs, incorporate stakeholder perspectives through participatory design, and motivate experimental evaluations with this insight. Through such a user-centered, mixed-methods approach, robotics researchers can ultimately improve the experience of both adults and children in these spaces.