Susan Fussell and Elijah Webber-Han

1/31/18

Mobile Robotic (Tele)Presence (MRP) systems are a promising technology for distance interaction because they provide both embodiment and mobility.  In principle, MRPs have the potential to support a wide array of informal activities, such as walking across campus, attending a movie or visiting a restaurant. However, realizing this potential has been challenging, due to a host of issues including internet connectivity, audio interference, limited mobility and limited line of sight. We will describe some ongoing work looking at the benefits and challenges of using MRPs in the wild.  The goal of this work is to develop a framework for understanding MRP use in informal social settings that captures key relationships among the physical requirements of the setting, the social norms of the setting, and the challenges posed for MRP pilots and people in the local environment.  This framework will then inform the design of novel user interfaces and crowdsourcing techniques to help MRP pilots anticipate and overcome challenges of specific informal social settings Joint Work: Sue Fussell, Elijah Weber-Han, Dept. of Communication & Dept. of Info. Science at Cornell University