User expectations of robots in public spaces: a co-design methodology

People are increasingly encountering robots in public spaces, but they rarely have input into how such technology is conceived or deployed. To familiarise and engage the general public with new robot technology, we present a novel co-design workshop methodology with a three-phased structure: open discussion, participatory prototyping, and follow-up interviews. Open discussion collects users’ initial expectations; Participatory prototyping deepens users’ understanding of the technology and elicits concrete, user-centered discussion on the technology being investigated; and follow-up interviews collect personal reflections. An online workshop following this methodology facilitated our research on users’ expectations of robots in public spaces. Our observations highlighted that co-design workshops are effective for advancing users’ understanding of robotic technology and applications.