Exploring animation in the design of a mobile intra-logistics robot

Abstract

The focus of this project is two-fold: first it explores how animation can be used to make functional robots more intuitively understandable. A framework for functional robot developers, to apply animations in the designed behaviours of their products, is proposed. Second, it demonstrates the value of the incorporation of animated behaviours, as well as the effects, through application of the framework to a hospital transport robot.

Robots, belonging to smart machine technologies, are expected to be part of the most disruptive technologies over the next decade. Especially functional robots are on the rise, making the transfer from controlled factory floors to mundane environments, where people can also encounter them in everyday life. This requires new design strategies that tackle functional robots, not only as efficient machines but also as understandable agents that people can deal with, preferably intuitively.
What sets robots apart from other intelligent agents, is that they are able manipulate our world not only digitally, but also physically. Since people are highly sensitive to physical movement, this trait can be used in the pursuit of more intuitively interpretable robots. The art of animation houses deep expertise in how to use movement, to dynamically communicate state and intention, and can therefore be the key to designing more intuitive robots
This project has therefore set out to make effective application of animation practices available for functional robot developers, as to enable them to offer more intuitively understandable products and be a game changer for how we have to deal with robots today.
A framework, that combines animation practices and functional robot development with knowledge of user-centred design, is proposed, to provide guidance throughout development towards more intuitively understandable products.

Over the last decade an increasing number of functional robots have been developed and employed to conduct the intra-logistics in hospitals. The main reason for implementation has been that hospitals are under a constant pressure to cut costs. However, especially in sensitive settings such as hospitals, there is urgency for these robots to be naturally understood to facilitate an intuitive response in people towards the robots. People in healthcare facilities often feel stressed and anxious, leaving them with only little capacity to deal with complex or confusing situations.
Based on the identified urgency for more intuitive robots in this setting, a case study was conducted that aimed to answer the following question:

How can the application of animation principles in the designed expressivity of a hospital delivery robot evoke an intuitive response in hospital visitors, in such a manner that its expressive behaviour seamlessly integrates with its delivery function?

It was found that the proposed framework effectively stimulates a workflow that adopts animation practices. Also, it could be concluded that animated behaviours and ‘staging’ of robots movements through embodiment can indeed stimulate desired response in the human encountering the robot.
Although the framework still requires validation through evaluation in real life robot development project, the current study shows its potential as a first step towards more intuitively understandable robots based on animation practices.