Socially assistive robots (SARs) are becoming more prevalent in everyday life, emphasizing the need to make them socially acceptable and aligned with users’ expectations. Robots’ appearance impacts users’ behaviors and attitudes toward them. Therefore, product designers choose visual qualities to give the robot a character and to imply its functionality and personality. In this work, we sought to investigate the effect of cultural differences on Israeli and German designers’ perceptions of SARs’ roles and appearance in four different contexts: a service robot for an assisted living/retirement residence facility, a medical assistant robot for a hospital environment, a COVID-19 officer robot, and a personal assistant robot for domestic use. The key insight is that although Israeli and German designers share similar perceptions of visual qualities for most of the robotics roles, we found differences in the perception of the COVID-19 officer robot’s role and, by that, its most suitable visual design. This work indicates that context and culture play a role in users’ perceptions and expectations; therefore, they should be taken into account when designing new SARs for diverse contexts.@en

Mode awareness is important for the safe use of automated vehicles, yet drivers' understanding of mode transitions has not been sufficiently investigated. In this study, we administered an online survey to 838 respondents to examine their understanding of control responsibilities in partial and conditional driving automation with four types of interventions (brake pedal, steering wheel, gas pedal, and take-over request). Results show that most drivers understand that they are responsible for speed and distance control after brake pedal interventions and steering control after steering wheel interventions. However, drivers have mixed responses regarding the responsibility for speed and distance control after steering wheel interventions and the responsibility for steering control after gas pedal interventions. With a higher automation level (conditional driving automation), drivers expect automation to remain responsible more often compared to a lower automation level (partial driving automation). Regarding Hands-on requirements, more than 99% of respondents answered that drivers would keep their hands on the steering wheel after all intervention types in partial automation, while 60–95% would place their hands on the wheel after various intervention types in conditional automation. A misalignment between actual logic and drivers' expectations regarding control responsibilities is observed by comparing survey responses to the mode transition logic of commercial partially automated vehicles. To resolve confusion about control responsibilities and ensure consistent expectations, we propose implementing a consistent mode design and providing enhanced information to drivers.

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Robots’ visual qualities (VQs) impact people’s perception of their characteristics and affect users’ behaviors and attitudes toward the robot. Recent years point toward a growing need for Socially Assistive Robots (SARs) in various contexts and functions, interacting with various users. Since SAR types have functional differences, the user experience must vary by the context of use, functionality, user characteristics, and environmental conditions. Still, SAR manufacturers often design and deploy the same robotic embodiment for diverse contexts. We argue that the visual design of SARs requires a more scientific approach considering their multiple evolving roles in future society. In this work, we define four contextual layers: the domain in which the SAR exists, the physical environment, its intended users, and the robot’s role. Via an online questionnaire, we collected potential users’ expectations regarding the desired characteristics and visual qualities of four different SARs: a service robot for an assisted living/retirement residence facility, a medical assistant robot for a hospital environment, a COVID-19 officer robot, and a personal assistant robot for domestic use. Results indicated that users’ expectations differ regarding the robot’s desired characteristics and the anticipated visual qualities for each context and use case.

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With increasing implementation of automated driving technology it is expected that different automation modes will be present within the same vehicle and within a single trip. At all times during automated driving the driver needs to have ‘mode awareness’, which is an understanding of the automation mode and the corresponding responsibilities. Yet, research on HMI design to support mode awareness for multiple automation modes within a single vehicle and within a single trip is currently limited. The current work describes the development and evaluation of a Human Machine Interface (HMI) to support mode awareness while driving in different automation modes. The work exists of three phases: Phase 1 defines functional requirements for HMI design based on literature review and 5 experimental studies including 146 participants. Phase 2 implements the functional requirements in HMI design through expert and focus group sessions. Phase 3 evaluates and improves upon the HMI design employing virtual reality and the RITE (Rapid Iterative Testing and Evaluation) method with 18 participants. The result is a continuous and holistic HMI design creating mode awareness through ambience. Findings from Phase 3 and previous research indicate that this HMI is comprehended well, with a relatively low task load, and with a good experienced system usability. It is important to additionally evaluate the HMI design resulting from the current study in driving simulators and in on-road tests. Such tests will provide an opportunity to verify and expand on the current study's findings and to contribute to guidelines for HMI design.

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In automated vehicles, the driver and the vehicle make a decision on the driving. However, there is no guarantee that drivers always agree or follow the system's decision. Drivers can reject the system's proposal or regain control, and it reduces the usefulness of automated vehicles. When a decision conflict happens, the vehicle can negotiate with the driver. Human-human communication depends on the individual's attitude and situation. Similarly, the negotiation style needs to differ depending on the context of conflict and the cause of disagreement. In this workshop, we address the negotiation approach to designing HMI and discuss considerations for applying the human-human negotiation style to human-automated vehicle interaction design. HMI design using a negotiation approach can address the decision conflict between humans and automation and expect enhancing trust and acceptance.

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Relationships are crucial for human existence. People form relationships with other humans, pets, objects, and places. We argue that the nature of human-SAR (Socially assistive robot) relationship changes by context of use and interaction level. Therefore, context and interaction must be incorporated into the design requirements. Earlier studies identified design-related preference differences among users, depending on their personal characteristics and on their role in specific contexts. To align the robotic visual qualities (VQ) with users' expectations, we propose two human-SAR relationship models: context-based model- Situational based model and interaction-based model- Dynamic based model. Together with the VQ's evaluation, these models aim to guide industrial designers in the design process of new SARs. An evaluation method and preliminary findings are presented.

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External communication constitutes a research area that has emerged from the need to develop an effective and intuitive system that enables autonomous vehicles (AVs) to communicate with all human road users. Considering that AVs generally target different countries, it is important to understand potential cultural differences in user preferences to various external communication concepts. This research investigates user preferences for seven external communication concepts using an online questionnaire (N = 710) in three diverse cultures (i.e. China, Germany and the United States of America). Specifically, the study explores the potential of the following concepts: Display, LED, emphasized inclination caused by vehicle behavior (“Incline”), Directed Sound Beam (“Sound”), Smart Assistant in Wearables, Smart infrastructure, and Augmented Reality. After seeing short movies of these concepts, participants rated the concepts on usability and trust. The findings demonstrate that opportunities exist for both universalization and localization. In addition, these results describe an opportunity for a modular external communication concept that consist of a baseline concept and cultural-specific modules. The baseline concept can be derived from universal preferences for external communication concepts. This baseline concept is to be extended with cultural-specific modules that aim to optimize usability and human understanding in specific cultures based on information preferences.@en

This paper discusses visual thinking in academic strategy design in the domain of human mobility. The strategic objective is to evoke cross-fertilisation in research and education between all stakeholders. We consider this holistic approach crucial in the education of future mobility designers, because the mobility industry is undergoing a similar transformation. The holistic approach is driven by the growing demand for human mobility in the (near) future, which dictates that we must rebalance individual wants and collective means. In that, mobility design is becoming a mere rational system exercise, which wrongly surpasses human experience as a design objective, while that is crucial in eliciting the necessary behavioural change. Despite the automotive industry’s declining reason of being (in its current manifestation), its unrivalled expertise to synthesise the rational with the emotional is instrumental in designing for behavioural change. Cross fertilisation between transport modalities is how the automotive industry may reframe itself while mobility design as a whole will benefit from its specific expertise. Strategy framing, design and implementation by means of a virtual laboratory, were facilitated by consecutive visuals. The first visual established common understanding of the strategic process, its scope and commitment. A second visual, based on context driven design, actively involved stakeholders to embrace the holistic framework and identify their respective positions therein. In a third, which is also the starting point for the HMI design of the digital platform, all elements are rearranged around a customer journey, so that design for behavioural change becomes the focal point.

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The purpose of this study is to research if a headrest benefits the comfort of the passenger and lowers muscle activity in the neck when sitting in a reclined (slouched)posture while watching in flight entertainment (IFE)in an aircraft business class seat. No significant differences in muscle activity in the musculus sternocleidomastoid and musculus trapezius pars descendant were found between the conditions with headrest and without headrest. A significant difference in expected comfort rating was found. Subjects indicated they expect to experience more comfort with a headrest when watching IFE for a duration of two movies during a long-haul flight. This study also found a significant difference in posture. In the condition without headrest the head was more upright compared to the condition with headrest. The lack of significant difference in muscle activity and the significant difference in posture may indicate that humans tend to look for a head position that is neutral, in the sense of minimal muscle effort. This study shows that the use of a headrest may benefit the comfort experience of the passenger during flight. However, further research is necessary on the design of the headrest and the long-term effects of head support on comfort, discomfort, muscle activity and fatigue for watching IFE in a slouched posture.

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In designing a headrest it is important to define the ideal head position and neck angle. There is literature on the ideal head position, but not in the context of watching IFE in a business class aircraft seat. In this study (n=21) the neck muscle activity (EMG), expected long-term comfort and head/neck inclination were studied in a reclined position (as is possible in business class) when watching IFE in the condition of with and without head/neck support. It appeared that there were no significant differences in EMG between both conditions. However, the posture was significantly different; without head support by a headrest the head was found to be more upright. Expected long-term comfort was rated highest in the condition with a headrest. The fact that no difference was found in EMG indicates that humans tend to look for a head position that is neutral, in the sense of minimal (muscle) effort. Head support in a reclined position may have a positive psychological effect on the user.@en

User well‐being is increasingly addressed in design and design research. Previous work has proposed a design for well-¬‐being framework that includes three main ingredients: pleasure, personal significance, and virtue. While useful for analysing the well-¬‐being impact of existing designs, it is difficult to use the framework as a resource in well-¬‐being focussed design projects. This paper presents a design case study in which two key challenges have been addressed. The first is to understand how to identify relevant pleasures, personal significances and virtues in the context of design practice. The second is to understand how design concepts can be developed that integrates these three ingredients in a meaningful way. The design case was to develop a car interior for a car sharing service. The first challenge was addressed with two user studies where it was found that especially conflicts or tensions between ingredients stimulated design creativity. The second challenge was addressed by including the factor of time in the design concept (creating a concept in which experiences unfold over time). The design case is presented and the techniques that were used to address the well-¬‐being-¬‐specific design challenges are discussed and reflected on. @en

The means of the automotive stylist to express a unique brand identity through automotive form, the main objective of automotive styling, have diminished. Platforms and technologies, formerly brand owned and specific to a brand’s identity and styling, have to be shared among the many, as do market segments and geographical domains. This increases the responsibility of, and the pressure on, styling to perform on a strategic level. In order to allow automotive stylists to negotiate form with other disciplines on that strategic level, the dialogue on form must extend beyond the mere tacit knowledge vocabulary. In our automotive styling research, embedded in our education program, management models and methods are being developed to frame and facilitate tacit knowledge and achieve the aforementioned objective. These management tools must contain familiar elements for both disciplines that are involved in negotiations, i.e. styling and engineering. The ‘styling’-side of these management tools assesses automotive form through a form hierarchy. The application thereof requires a methodical way of explorative sketching. This explorative sketching, with the aim to detect a leitmotif in automotive form that represents brand identity, has been developed over two years in an education environment. Results suggest that specific sketching methods are appropriate for each level of the form hierarchy, a combination of views that develop into explorative sketching, and a connotation dialogue to be combined with sketches.@en

The car has, more than any other, become a product with highly emotional properties and a significant impact on society. The automotive styling process as generally educated and practiced today has its foundation in the 1930’s in the Detroit studios of General Motors and has not changed significantly since. The automotive industry and its market however have evolved dramatically. Car companies need to manage brand portfolios rather than a single brand and manage synergy between SBUs without compromising brand identities. It is due to the very properties of the styling process that automotive styling departments have not acquired a position in the value chain that allows an active role in corporate strategy formulation. Cynically, the tacit skills and culture that allow stylists to design successful cars also appear to be the threshold in implementing methodologies that would allow a more influential power base. The myth of the profession is embraced passionately by those who are a part of it. Being part of a myth is even better than being a scientist. Styling strategy and competitive advantage fail to emerge and each new model generation puts a company at a larger risk than acceptable. Styling is currently recognized as a main automotive design driver. However it is no longer sufficient to design the next generation without a strategic context that exceeds the level of the business unit. The resources that are invested in a new car, and the number of people that depend on it, are too high. The challenge is to design and introduce a scientific business framework into the styling process without compromising or bounding tacit skills, which are so critical to the appeal of the final design.@en