Academic literature on the topic 'Mobile robotic telepresence'

Mobile robotic telepresence (MRP) systems incorporate video conferencing equipment onto mobile robot devices which can be steered from remote locations. These systems, which are primarily used in the context of promoting social interaction between people, are becoming increasingly popular within certain application domains such as health care environments, independent living for the elderly, and office environments. In this paper, an overview of the various systems, application areas, and challenges found in the literature concerning mobile robotic telepresence is provided. The survey also proposes a set terminology for the field as there is currently a lack of standard terms for the different concepts related to MRP systems. Further, this paper provides an outlook on the various research directions for developing and enhancing mobile robotic telepresence systems per se, as well as evaluating the interaction in laboratory and field settings. Finally, the survey outlines a number of design implications for the future of mobile robotic telepresence systems for social interaction.

In this paper, we focus on spatial formations when interacting via mobile robotic telepresence (MRP) systems. Previous research has found that those who used a MRP system to make a remote visit (pilot users) tended to use different spatial formations from what is typical in human-human interaction. In this paper, we present the results of a study where a pilot user interacted with ten elderly via a MRP system. Intentional deviations from known accepted spatial formations were made in order to study their effect on interaction quality from the local user perspective. Using a retrospective interviews technique, the elderly commented on the interaction and confirmed the importance of adhering to acceptable spatial configurations. The results show that there is a mismatch between pilot user behaviour and local user preference and that it is important to evaluate a MRP system from two perspectives, the pilot user’s and the local user’s. Keywords: F-formations; Mobile Robotic Telepresence; MRP systems; Quality of Interaction; Retrospective Interview; Spatial Formations; Spatial Configurations

Social robots have an enormous potential for educational applications and allow for cognitive outcomes that are similar to those with human involvement. Remotely controlling a social robot to interact with students and peers in an immersive fashion opens up new possibilities for instructors and learners alike. Using immersive approaches can promote engagement and have beneficial effects on remote lesson delivery and participation. However, the performance and power consumption associated with the involved devices are often not sufficiently contemplated, despite being particularly important in light of sustainability considerations. The contributions of this research are thus twofold. On the one hand, we present telepresence solutions for a social robot’s location-independent operation using (a) a virtual reality headset with controllers and (b) a mobile augmented reality application. On the other hand, we perform a thorough analysis of their power consumption and system performance, discussing the impact of employing the various technologies. Using the QTrobot as a platform, direct and immersive control via different interaction modes, including motion, emotion, and voice output, is possible. By not focusing on individual subsystems or motor chains, but the cumulative energy consumption of an unaltered robot performing remote tasks, this research provides orientation regarding the actual cost of deploying immersive robotic telepresence solutions.

F-formations are a set of possible patterns in which groups of people tend to spatially organize themselves while engaging in social interactions. In this paper, we study the behavior of teleoperators of mobile robotic telepresence systems to determine whether they adhere to spatial formations when navigating to groups. This work uses a simulated environment in which teleoperators are requested to navigate to different groups of virtual agents. The simulated environment represents a conference lobby scenario where multiple groups of Virtual Agents with varying group sizes are placed in different spatial formations. The task requires teleoperators to navigate a robot to join each group using an egocentric-perspective camera. In a second phase, teleoperators are allowed to evaluate their own performance by reviewing how they navigated the robot from an exocentric perspective. The two important outcomes from this study are, firstly, teleoperators inherently respect F-formations even when operating a mobile robotic telepresence system. Secondly, teleoperators prefer additional support in order to correctly navigate the robot into a preferred position that adheres to F-formations.

Caregivers in eldercare can benefit from telepresence robots that allow them to perform a variety of tasks remotely. In order for such robots to be operated effectively and efficiently by non-technical users, it is important to examine if and how the robotic system’s level of automation (LOA) impacts their performance. The objective of this work was to develop suitable LOA modes for a mobile robotic telepresence (MRP) system for eldercare and assess their influence on users’ performance, workload, awareness of the environment, and usability at two different levels of task complexity. For this purpose, two LOA modes were implemented on the MRP platform: assisted teleoperation (low LOA mode) and autonomous navigation (high LOA mode). The system was evaluated in a user study with 20 participants, who, in the role of the caregiver, navigated the robot through a home-like environment to perform control and perception tasks. Results revealed that performance improved in the high LOA when task complexity was low. However, when task complexity increased, lower LOA improved performance. This opposite trend was also observed in the results for workload and situation awareness. We discuss the results in terms of the LOAs’ impact on users’ attitude towards automation and implications on usability.

This article reports on the EU project ExCITE with specific focus on the technical development of the telepresence platform over a period of 42 months. The aim of the project was to assess the robustness and validity of the mobile robotic telepresence (MRP) system Giraff as a means to support elderly people and to foster their social interaction and participation. Embracing the idea of user-centered product refinement, the robot was tested over long periods of time in real homes. As such, the system development was driven by a strong involvement of elderly people and their caregivers but also by technical challenges associated with deploying the robot in real-world contexts. The results of the 42-months’ long evaluation is a system suitable for use in homes rather than a generic system suitable, for example, in office environments.

Mobile robotic telepresence (MRP) systems feature a video conferencing interface on a mobile robot, enabling pilot users to remotely control the robot while communicating with a local user. For older adults in an assisted living facility, the operators are mostly caregivers or remote family members. This small-sample usability testing aimed to evaluate the use of MRP by the older adult. Participants navigated the robot to locations in the home, e.g., to check if the front-door is closed. Two levels of automation were introduced; assisted teleoperation and autonomous. Observations revealed that the older adults enjoyed the dexterity with which the robot could be teleoperated in the assisted teleoperation mode. Yet, they preferred the operation of the MRP at the autonomous mode where the robot navigated autonomously towards the locations the user indicated. Usability, preference and objective findings raise awareness regarding elder care assistive robot developmental factors. Future experimental plans are discussed.

Web-based guide robot as an example of Internet of Robotic Things is controlled through web and share guide information on web within a network. Using web browser, any device connected to the Internet can control this robot and get the data provided. Robot in the form of Telepresence Bot has a web server hosting webpages for user interface and guide information. Therefore, a users both distant and near the robot can access guide information via web using their mobile devices. In this paper, we present how to design web-based guide robot and implement university campus guide robot as one of its applications.

Mobile Robotic Telepresence (MRP) systems incorporate video conferencing equipment onto mobile robot devices which can be steered from remote locations. These systems, which are primarily used in the context of promoting social interaction between people, are becoming increasingly popular within certain application domains such as health care environments, independent living for the elderly and office environments. In this review, an overview of the various systems, application areas and challenges found in literature concerning mobile robotic telepresence is provided. The survey also proposes a set terminology for the field as there is currently a lack of standard terms for the different concepts related to MRP systems. Further, this review provides an outlook on the various research directions for developing and enhancing mobile robotic telepresence systems per se, as well as evaluating the interaction in laboratory and field settings. Finally, the survey outlines a number of design implications for the future of mobile robotic telepresence systems for social interaction.

Advances in Human-Computer InteractionVolume 2013 (2013), Article ID 902316, 17 pages

ExCITE

AASS, or the Center for Applied Autonomous Sensor Systems, is a research environment at Örebro University. This report will touch the development of a robot intended for elderly care in a project called "Project Sputnik". The robot is essentially a manually controlled communication robot that is driven by a pilot from a computer. The robot’s purpose is to provide the option of virtual visits between elders and healthcare professionals or family and friends. The requirements for the robot are numerous and the project itself is far too extensive for one student to complete in a 15 credit course. Therefore, the project was limited to the physical design only. During the pilot-study a large amount of research was done to gain a better understanding of the touched subjects and to prepare for the future development of the project. The project followed the design methodology to gradually develop a conceptual sketch. The concept should form a basis that AASS can continue the development on, and is therefore deliberately crude not to limit AASS in the continued work of Project Sputnik.
AASS, eller Centrum för tillämpade autonoma sensorsystem är en forskningsmiljö på Örebro Universitet. Den här rapporten kommer röra utvecklandet av en robot ämnad åt äldreomsorgen i ett projekt vid namn "Project Sputnik". Roboten är huvudsakligen en kommunikationsrobot som styrs manuellt av en pilot från en hemdator och ska ge en upplevelse av virtuell närvaro. Kraven för roboten är många och projektet i sig är för omfattande för en student att utföra i en kurs på 15 högskolepoäng. Därför begränsades projektet till enbart den fysiska designen. Under förstudien gjordes en stor mängd research för att få en bättre förståelse för berörda områden och förbereda inför kommande processer i projektet. Projektet följde designmetodiken för att gradvis bygga fram en konceptskiss. Konceptskissen ska utgöra en grund som AASS kan utveckla, och är därför medvetet grov för att inte begränsa AASS i det fortsatta arbetet i Project Sputnik.

As companies are more globalised and teams become more geographically distributed, the demand for technical solutions to bring more variety of communication increases. The aim of this study is to get a deeper understanding of how Mobile Robotic Telepresence is perceived by people  that is working in an office for a non-technological oriented company, and is interacting with it for the first time. The study was conducted at the participants office during workday where they got to control and practically explore the robot through a computer. The result shows that there is a positive attitude towards new technology and possible solutions for people that would like to cut down on work-related travels or a new way to arrange meeting. even though there were positive attitude, only half of the participants saw a clear use for the robot in their current work environment.

Des interventions axées sur l’exercice physique permettent de soutenir un vieillissement en meilleure santé. L'engagement des aînés à ces programmes reste pourtant assez faible en raison d'obstacles environnementaux et personnels, tels que l'accès limité aux infrastructures, les difficultés de mobilité ou le manque de motivation. Pour répondre à ces défis, les technologies, comme les robots mobiles de téléprésence (MRP) peuvent être utilisées. Leur intégration dans la pratique quotidienne est encore limitée, et il n'est pas certain qu’ils seront bien acceptés par les aînés ou qu’ils permettront la faisabilité des programmes d'exercices. L'acceptabilité, définie comme la volonté d'utiliser une technologie est essentielle pour la faisabilité et l’efficacité des interventions. Le but de cette thèse était d’évaluer l’acceptabilité du MRP Cutii® (CareClever) pour ensuite proposer un programme en téléexercice aux personnes âgées.Cette thèse a été réalisée en collaboration avec le Cirris (Université Laval, Québec) et l’unité de recherche HAVAE(Université de Limoges, France). Le projet a été approuvé par le comité d’éthique du Centre intégré et universitaire de santé et des services sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale (# 2022-2449, RIS) (Québec, Canada). Le MRP Cutii® utilisé dans ces études vise à rompre l’isolement social des personnes âgées. Conçu comme un support de visioconférence mobile, il permet de suivre à distance de manière synchrone des programmes d’exercices physiques.Trois études sont présentées dans cette thèse. En se basant sur la Théorie unifiée de l'acceptation et de l'utilisation des technologies-2 (UTAUT2), l’étude 1 a permis d’évaluer l'acceptabilité a priori du MRP. L’étude 2 a permis d’évaluer l'acceptation située du MRP dans le cadre d'une intervention à distance auprès de 2 groupes de personnes (autonome ou semi-autonome). Ces 2 études ont été menées au Québec auprès de personnes âgées de plus de 65 ans vivant en résidence privée pour ainés. Une 3ème étude prévue en France visait à évaluer l'équivalence de deux groupes concernant l'équilibre suite à la réalisation d’un programme d’entrainement de 8 semaines proposée i) de manière synchrone par un MRP, ii) en présentiel. La faillite de l’entreprise CareClever a empêché sa réalisation, seul son protocole est présenté.Les résultats de l’étude 1 (n=19) révèlent que bien que les participants ont bien accueilli leur première expérience, leur intention d'utiliser les MRP à l'avenir reste faible, soulignant une faible acceptabilité a priori. L’étude 2 (n=21) a confirmé ces résultats après une utilisation prolongée (4 à 6 semaines) indiquant une faible acceptation située des MRP. Des réserves sont émises sur l'adéquation des MRP avec les besoins des personnes âgées qui semblent privilégier une aide fonctionnelle plutôt que sociale. Les MRP semblent avoir des avantages limités par rapport à d’autres technologies. En utilisant les critères de Thabane et al. (2010) l’étude 2, a montré la faisabilité du programme en téléexercice, soulignant l’engagement des participants et la sécurité des exercices. Des réserves sur l’utilisabilité et la fiabilité des MRP demeurent.Ce projet de doctorat a permis d'évaluer l'acceptabilité a priori et l’acceptation située du MRP Cutii® chez des personnes âgées vivant en résidence pour ainés. Plusieurs freins à l’acceptabilité des MRP sont identifiés : l'inadéquation entre les objectifs des MRP et les besoins des résidents, une comparaison défavorable avec d'autres technologies. Néanmoins, des preuves soutiennent la faisabilité des programmes en téléexercice proposé via les MRP Cutii®. L'efficacité du programme d’exercices physiques sur la condition physique doit être évaluer. Des recherches futures avec des échantillons plus larges et diversifiés sont nécessaires pour réévaluer la technologie en constante évolution et pour mesurer l'engagement à long terme des personnes âgées aux programme d’exercices physiques proposés via les MRP
Interventions focused on physical exercise help promote healthier aging. However, older adults' engagement in these programs remains relatively low due to environmental and personal barriers, such as limited access to infrastructure, mobility difficulties, or lack of motivation. To address these challenges, technologies like mobile robotic telepresence (MRP) can be used. Their integration into daily practice is still limited, and it is uncertain whether they will be well accepted by older adults or enable the feasibility of exercise programs. Acceptability, defined as the willingness to use a technology, is essential for the feasibility and effectiveness of interventions. The goal of this thesis was to evaluate the acceptability of the MRP Cutii® (CareClever) and then propose a remote exercise program for older adults.This thesis was carried out in collaboration with Cirris (Université Laval, Québec) and the HAVAE research unit (Université de Limoges, France). The project was approved by the ethics committee of the Centre intégré et universitaire de santé et des services sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale (# 2022-2449, RIS) (Québec, Canada). The MRP Cutii® used in these studies aims to break the social isolation of older adults. Designed as a mobile videoconferencing support, it allows remote, synchronous participation in physical exercise programs.Three studies are presented in this thesis. Based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology-2 (UTAUT2), Study 1 evaluated the a priori acceptability of the MRP. Study 2 evaluated the situated acceptance of the MRP within the context of a remote intervention among two groups of individuals (autonomous or semi-autonomous). These two studies were conducted in Québec with participants aged over 65 living in private senior residences. A third study planned in France aimed to evaluate the equivalence of two groups concerning balance after completing an eight-week training program offered i) synchronously via MRP, ii) face-to-face. The bankruptcy of the CareClever company prevented its completion, and only its protocol is presented.The results of Study 1 (n=19) reveal that although participants responded positively to their first experience, their intention to use the MRP in the future remains low, highlighting a low a priori acceptability. Study 2 (n=21) confirmed these results after prolonged use (4 to 6 weeks), indicating low situated acceptance of the MRP. Reservations were expressed about the fit of the MRP with the needs of older adults, who seemed to prioritize functional over social assistance. The MRP appears to have limited advantages compared to other technologies. Using Thabane et al.’s (2010) criteria, Study 2 demonstrated the feasibility of the remote exercise program, emphasizing participant engagement and exercise safety. However, concerns about the usability and reliability of the MRP remain.This doctoral project evaluated the a priori acceptability and situated acceptance of the MRP Cutii® among older adults living in senior residences. Several barriers to the acceptability of the MRP were identified: the mismatch between the MRP’s objectives and the residents' needs, and unfavorable comparisons with other technologies. Nevertheless, evidence supports the feasibility of remote exercise programs offered via the MRP Cutii®. The effectiveness of the exercise program on physical condition remains to be assessed. Future research with larger and more diverse samples is needed to re-evaluate the constantly evolving technology and to measure the long-term engagement of older adults in exercise programs offered via the MRP

Cette these presente l'analyse d'equivalences morphologiques pour la determination d'une strategie de controle-commande-communication pour un systeme de telepresence. Elle s'inscrit dans le cadre du projet ramses (robot autonome mobile a systeme evolue de sustentation roues-pattes), developpe au laboratoire de robotique de paris pour l'intervention. La caracterisation d'un systeme de telepresence est basee sur la synthese d'etudes realisees en robotique, teleoperation, realite virtuelle et sciences cognitives. Pour une interaction homme-systeme performante, minimisant la charge de travail de l'operateur et assurant la surete de fonctionnement du systeme, une strategie globale de controle-commande-communication est proposee. Elle prend en compte la necessite d'une declaration d'intention, de l'apprentissage de l'operateur et d'une dichotomie des niveaux haut / bas de controle-commande, et des delais de propagation / transmission des informations. Les analogies doigt - jambe et doigt humain - patte de robot derivent des analogies jambe - patte de robot et doigt humain - doigt de prehenseur, deja modelisees en robotique, ainsi que de l'analyse fonctionnelle des membres humains et leur modelisation. Une transformation de comportement est definie entre l'operateur et le robot, afin d'introduire un concept base sur le geste avec fonctions ergotiques et semiotiques couplees. Une discussion est menee sur les cas ou l'interpretation des gestes est un moyen de commande efficace pour la telelocomotion, en fonction des types de taches (navigation ou mission), des natures de terrains (plat, chaotique, en pente), et de la morphologie des pattes. Les robots non anthropomorphes sont aussi envisages. L'interpretation des gestes, les doigts mimant la marche humaine, est validee avec ramses, dont les parametres sont optimises en fonctions des types de taches et de terrains varies. Une analyse experimentale multi-facteurs est decrite pour la quantification des aspects facteurs humains.

I sistemi Mobile RoboticTelepresence (MRP) consistono essenzialmente in audio,video riprese, reti e servizi che vengono applicati come un’unica tecnologia aggregata. Essa consente ad individui che si trovano in diversi luoghi del mondo di interagire tra loro, sentendosi “presenti” nella località remota di interazione. Questa tecnologia può fornire immagini più realistiche ed una comunicazione più chiara agli utenti rispetto alle tecnologie tradizionali di comunicazione mediata. I sistemi di telepresenza robotizzata hanno anche il valore aggiunto di potersi muovere ed operare da remoto, ovvero controllati a distanza da un utente pilota. Precedenti studi hanno riportato come i robot di telepresenza possano apportare dei benefici nelle interazioni sociali. La maggior parte di essi, però, sono equipaggiati con la minima attrezzatura necessaria per l'interazione sociale come, ad esempio, una telecamera per mostrare il luogo remoto, microfoni ed altoparlanti per condividere il flusso audio, un'interfaccia utente per controllare il sistema e farlo muovere, ed infine una chat vocale. Tali sistemi di telepresenza robotici hanno capacità limitate in materia di mobilità, immersività, e di embodiment. A causa delle limitazioni esistenti, diversi aspetti devono essere ancora indagati per capire se questi sistemi MRP siano davvero utili per un certo tipo di applicazioni. Lo scopo principale per cui i sistemi MRP sono studiati è quello di stimolare una interazione sociale tra le persone; tuttavia, una delle aree di applicazione più promettenti per i sistemi MRP è l’ambiente del museo: infatti i sistemi MRP possono essere utilizzati al loro interno per fornire una serie di servizi aggiuntivi. Recentemente, grazie all’utilizzo dei sistemi MRP, le persone sono in grado di visitare un museo nella comodità delle loro case, mentre in precedenza visitare un museo era possibile solo in qualità di visitatori presenti fisicamente nel luogo di interesse. I musei possono anche fornire una guida robotica per i visitatori locali o utilizzare il sistema per dare loro informazioni sulle possibili direzioni. Nonostante tutti questi vantaggi, l’utilizzo di un sistema MRP potrebbe comportare alcuni problemi per quelle persone che non hanno mai visto o sperimentato l'interazione con telepresenza robotizzati. Per questo motivo i progettisti hanno sempre cercato di fornire sistemi sempre più utili e facili da usare,che siano in grado di fornire un'esperienza più piacevole per i loro utenti. Lo scopo principale di questa tesi è di fornire un contributo alla letteratura esistente, investigando come questo obiettivo possa essere raggiunto. La tesi riporta studi di ricerca incentrati sugli utilizzatori, valuta l'interazione dei potenziali utenti con un robot di telepresenza e fornisce preziose linee guida per i progettisti. Pertanto, l'obiettivo di questo lavoro di tesi è incentrato sulla percezione delle persone circa l'applicazione di sistemi MRP nei musei, con lo scopo di sviluppare sistemi più fruibili e facilmente accettabili. La tesi propone una serie di esperimenti nell’ambito della Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), utili per affrontare l’interrogativo generale: "Quali aspetti dei sistemi MRP, tecnologici e non tecnologici, sono utili per promuovere l'accettazione del sistema da parte degli utenti in modo tale da soddisfare i loro bisogni ed i loro desideri?» La tesi comprende sei capitoli e si compone di tre lavori di ricerca indipendenti, ognuno dei quali mira a valutare alcuni aspetti specifici dell’interazione che potrebbero influenzare l'accettazione della telepresenza robotica da parte degli utenti. L'attenzione di questi studi è per lo più in ambito museale. Tutti questi lavori di ricerca hanno un obiettivo primario comune: fornire una guida per la progettazione di sistemi MRP più utilizzabili e accettabili. Una serie di valutazioni basate su questionari ed interviste retrospettive è utilizzata come strumento per condurre la valutazione sperimentale del sistema MRP. Questi metodi sono stati scelti con cura, tenendo conto delle sfide da affrontare per condurre esperimenti di HRI in ambienti naturali, caratterizzati da diverse tipologie di utenti. In uno degli studi, sono stati testati i due fattori di "opzione di regolazione in altezza" del robot e di "distanza interpersonale", nonché la loro influenza sulla qualità dell’interazione attraverso il sistema MRP. I risultati degli esperimenti hanno dimostrato che la possibilità di variare l'altezza del robot al livello degli occhi dell'utente migliora la qualità dell'interazione, influenzando il senso di presenza sociale dell’utente. Si è anche notato come, ad alcune distanze (tra robot e utenti), una migliore interazione possa avere luogo perchè il senso della presenza sociale è migliorata negli utenti. Un altro studio in questa tesi analizza il sistema MRP quando i partecipanti utilizzano un robot per visitare un museo in modalità remota. In questo studio, alcuni aspetti nontecnologici, quali l'utilità del sistema, la facilità d'uso ed alcuni aspetti tecnologici, come la qualità del video, dell’audio e della navigazione, sono testati. I risultati ottenuti da queste valutazioni mostrano i problemi e le difficoltà insite nell’utilizzare il sistema per una visita virtuale remota, e propone soluzioni e guide che potrebbero essere utili per promuovere l'esperienza degli utenti in futuro. Da ultimo, ma non meno importante, si è concluso che i potenziali elementi (sia tecnologici che non) che influenzano l’accettazione del sistema robotico fanno riferimento non soltanto al robot, ma anche alle caratteristiche degli utenti ed al contesto ambientale in cui il robot deve operare. Il terzo studio si propone di eseguire un esperimento con il sistema MRP in un ambiente di un vero e proprio museo. Questa volta il robot è stato utilizzato per fornire una guida virtuale per i visitatori locali. Ancora una volta, diversi aspetti sono stati considerati nell'esperimento, compreso l'aspetto del robot, l'eventuale ansia generata negli utenti e l'atteggiamento dei visitatori verso il robot. La relativa serie di esperimenti e l'analisi dei dati e dei risultati ottenuti hanno fornito spunti utili per quanto riguarda l'applicazione di sistemi MRP in musei. Si è constatato che il sistema può essere applicato per una varietà di compiti e attività sociali all'interno dei musei e che i visitatori hanno una percezione positiva di robot all'interno di essi.Tuttavia ci sono ancora un sacco di problemi da risolvere prima che grandi investimenti possano essere fatti su questo tipo di tecnologia. I progettisti dei robot devono essere in grado di fornire una progettazione ottimale per creare una confortevole esperienza per gli utenti, supportarli appropriatamente, ed ottenere la loro cooperazione. Possono migliorare l’accettazione degli utenti, facendo in modo che tutti i fattori determinanti siano considerati quando i robot vengono progettati e introdotti. Alcuni ricercatori precedentemente hanno eseguito una serie di esperimenti con diversi tipi di robot nei musei e la maggior parte essi si è concentrata sulle caratteristiche fisiche e tecniche, come l'aspetto, la navigazione e la ricerca di ostacolo. Tuttavia, questo studio ha il valore aggiunto di considerare e valutare una varietà di aspetti, sia dal punto di vista dell’operatore (la persona che guida e controlla il robot) e dell’ utilizzatore presentato (la persona che è nello stesso posto assieme al robot).
Mobile Robotic Telepresence systems (MRP) basically consist of video, audio, networks and services that are applied as an aggregate technology that allows individuals in different places of the world interact with each other while they feel being present in the remote location. This technology can provide more realistic images and clearer communication for the users in compare to traditional mediated communication technologies and comes with the added value of moving and operating in a remote location controlled by a pilot user from a distance. Prior studies have reported a variety of benefits for telepresence robots in social interaction, though, most of these telepresence robots have the least equipment used for a social interaction such as a camera to show a remote site, microphones and speakers to share the audio stream, and a user interface to control the system, move around, and have a voice chat. These robotic telepresence systems have limited capabilities concerning mobility, immersiveness, and embodiment. Due to the existing limitations, some questions still need to be addressed to understand whether these MRP systems are really useful for some type of applications. The main purpose of MRP systems is developing a social interaction among people; however, one of the most promising application areas for MRP systems is museum. MRP systems can be used in museums to provide superior services. Using MRP systems, people are able to visit a museum from the comfort of their homes; while previously, visiting a museum was possible only by the physical presence of the visitors. Museums can also provide robotic tour guide for their local visitors or use the system to give them information about directions. Despite all these advantages, using an MRP system in either ways may pose some challenges for people who have never seen or experienced the interaction with a telepresence robot. However, designers have always tried to provide systems that are more useful and easy to use and are able to provide more pleasant experience for their users. The main aim of this compilation thesis is to make a contribution to the current literature by discovering how this goal can be achieved by designers. The thesis conducts user-centered studies that evaluates the interaction of potential users with a telepresence robot and provides valuable guidelines to designers. Therefore, the focus of the current thesis is on people’s perception about the application of MRP systems in museums with the purpose of developing more acceptable systems. The thesis proposes a set of useful Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) experiments to address the general question of “which aspects of MRP systems, technological and non-technological, are useful to promote the users’ acceptance of the system by fulfilling their needs and desires?” The thesis includes six chapters and consists of three independent research works that each assesses some specific aspects of the HRI that might influence the users’ acceptance of robotic telepresence. The focus of these studies is mostly on museum setting. These three research work all have a common main objective which is providing guides for designing more usable and acceptable MRP systems. Questionnaire-based evaluations and retrospective interviews are used as the tools to conduct the experimental evaluation of the MRP system. These methods were carefully chosen taking into account the challenges of conducting HRI experiments in natural settings with a variety of users who have different organizational background. In one of the studies, the two factors of robot’s “height adjustability option” and the “interpersonal distance” and their influence on the qualification of interaction through MRP system was tested. The results of the experiments showed that the possibility of adopting the height of robot to the eye level of the local user enhances the quality of interaction by influencing the sense of social presence in the local user. It was also found that in some distances (between robot and local users); better interaction takes place as the sense of social presence is improved in local users. Another study in this thesis evaluates the MRP system when the participants use a robot to visit a remote museum. In this study, some non-technical aspects such as system usefulness, ease of use and some technical aspect such as video, audio and navigation are tested. The results obtained from these evaluations show the problems and difficulties to use the system for a remote virtual visit and proposes the solutions and guides that might be useful to promote the experience of users in future. Last, but not the least, it was concluded that the potential technological and non-technological elements that influence robot acceptance do not only relates to robot, but also relates to users’ characteristics and even the environmental setting that the robot is designed to perform. The third study intends to perform an experiment with the MRP in a real museum setting. This time the robot is used to provide a virtual tour guide for the local visitors. Again a variety of aspects are considered in the experiment including the robot’s appearance, the users’ anxiety and the attitude of the visitors toward the robot. The set of experiments and the analysis of the data and the results obtained provided valuable guidelines regarding the application of MRP systems in museums. It was found that the system can be applied for a variety of tasks and social activities inside museums and the visitors have a positive perception about robots inside museums; however there are still plenty of issues to be solved before huge investments can be done on this type of technology. Robot designers should be able to provide an optimal design to create a comfortable experience for users, support proper feedback to them, and obtain their cooperation. They can improve the users’ acceptance by making sure that the determining factors are all considered when robots are designed and introduced. Although, some prior researchers performed a variety of experiments with different types of robots in museums, they mostly have focused on physical and technological features such as appearance, navigation and obstacle seeking. However, in this study, a variety of aspects are evaluated from both an operator user’s (the person/s who drives and controls the robot) perspective and local user’s (the person/s who is in the same place with robot) point of view.

A unique mobile telepresence testbed has been designed and implemented. This testbed is a tool for research in telepresence and tele-existence for control of remote robotic systems. An eight-degree-of-freedom, redundant manipulator has been designed and implemented for this system. Resolved acceleration control and impedance control have been demonstrated. An omnidirectional base has been built to provide human-like movement capabilities to the telepresence testbed. Control software written for the system allows easy control of the base and the arm. Hand-controllers are used to guide the system trajectories. Ethernet, serial links, or wireless radio modems can be used as the control medium. Use of individual motor control processors for each motor allows high servo update rates to be achieved. A high level, modular and extensible library of routines has been written to allow easy programming of the system by future researchers. A head-tracking platform with color stereo cameras provides video feedback to the operator with depth perception to allow fine manipulation tasks.

This chapter focuses on a set of innovative technologies applicable to the tourism sector, which influence customer behavior when booking or consuming. Hi-tec digital tools reveal great opportunities for tourism companies to create creative and entrepreneurial solutions capable of simplifying procedures, streamlining working methods, and presenting greater levels of competitiveness and innovation for sustainable growth. At the same time, they make it possible to generate conditions for driving new and improved consumer experiences, raising their satisfaction levels. This critical essay focuses on a grounded reflection on transformative technologies map-heating and geo-fencing, beacons, teleporters, robotic telepresence, facial recognition, gadgets and wearables, travelbots and chatbots, big and small data, business intelligence, analytics and predictive intelligence, hyper-tourism, visiconomy, and mobile tourism, without the purpose of exhausting the topic.

We demonstrate that Mobile Remote Presence systems (MRP) aka telepresence robots can be successfully used in certain types of medical consultation such as consultation from a distance with residents of nursing homes. We argue that MRP afforded media richness also allows for supporting social connectedness during medically recommended isolation regimes similar to the ones that are implemented in residential care homes around the world during the SARS-CoVID-2 pandemic. Specifically, our research found that MRP are perceived as a more natural medium compared to typical telephones or videoconferencing via computers or tablets. MRP allow conversations to become more dynamic and engaging since remote participants are able to adjust their remote position and perspective during a conversation. Participants in our experiments reported they would be willing to engage even in difficult or emotional topics when using MRP however there are also certain types of situations that would still ask for face-to-face conversations.

Higher education is facing unprecedented challenges post-pandemic and must provide flexible and accessible learning options to students to remain relevant. This qualitative case study applied social presence theory to explore faculty and student experiences with mobile robotic telepresence (MRT) as tool for offering synchronous hybrid classes. Results indicated co-presence was the strongest element of social presence. Additionally, several key factors were identified for effective MRT implementation.