Presentation delivered to Austin UXPA chapter meeting - October 2013. Speaker: Jon-Eric Steinbomer, Principal and Research Director at Progress UX Research in Austin, Texas.

1. 1
UX Research is not Market Research
Designing our future
overlords or:
how I learned to stop worrying
and love robotics.
Jon-Eric Steinbomer, Director of Research
UXPA - ATX

2. | © 2013 Progress UX LLC2
Jon-Eric Steinbomer, Director of Research
UXPA - ATX
Anthony Daniels
Man in a suit
(not the droid we’re looking for)

3. | © 2013 Progress UX LLC3
what is a “robot”?
a machine capable of carrying out a complex series of
actions automatically, esp. one programmable by a
computer.

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Types of Robots
Military - Atlas
Medical - Da Vinci
Industrial - Kiva Systems/Amazon
http://vimeo.com/76017557
http://vimeo.com/76017593
http://vimeo.com/76017562

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Space - Mars Rover
Rescue - Toshiba
Enhancement - Cyberdyne
Industrial - Automotive
Types of Robots, cont.

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Types of Robots, cont.
Consumer - Roomba
Consumer (almost) - Qbo Consumer - NAO Business - Telepresence
Assistive Medical - RIBA
http://vimeo.com/76017602

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The consumer robotics market is currently at
about $1.6 billion.
By 2017, this market is forecast to
reach 6.5 billion.
Source: ABI Research’s Consumer Electronics Research Service

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“Robots will be the next world-changing technology....
there will be a robot in every home.”
Bill Gates - 4/2013
Kiva Systems,
iRobot, Heartland Robotics
SiriGlass, Self-driving cars

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Japan
Boston
Bay Area
Where is the robot action?

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Japanese robots
Kirobo
Ubiko
Paro ASIMO
http://vimeo.com/76017549

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Boston/Bay robots
Vgo
Roomba Scooba
mobi
Nao (Paris/Boston)

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So where does UX fit in?

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Robotics UX Research
Currently academic/institutional focus:
Human Robotic Interaction (HRI)

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Robotics UX Research in Practice
“fundamentals” research can be conducted in a lab:
• expressions
• voice and gesture UI design

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Robotics UX Research in Practice,
cont.
In-context research needs to be on location -
home, office, etc.
• Environmental factors (sun, noise, stairs, etc.)
• Still novel
• Multiple users (maybe all talking at once)

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Robotics UX Research, cont.
• Trust
• Emotional response and connection
• Expressions (red = warning)

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Hiroshi Ishiguro
Robotics UX Design - into the valley
http://vimeo.com/76017606 http://vimeo.com/76017588

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Robotics UX Design - into the valley
When human features look and move almost, but not exactly, like natural human beings, it causes a response of
revulsion among human observers.
The uncanny valley is the region of negative emotional response towards robots that seem "almost human". Movement
amplifies the emotional response.
Masahiro Mori, 1970

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Robotics UX Design Factors to Consider
• Emotion
• Anthropomorphism
• Interaction modes (gesture, sound,
touch)
• Noise (from the robot and the
environment)
• Portability
• Safety
• Ethics

20. | © 2013 Progress UX LLC
@ProgressUX
www.experienceprogress.com
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What’s next?