IEEE RO-MAN 2022
3 1 s t I E E E I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n fe r e n c e o n R o b o t & H u m a n I n t e r a c t i v e C o m m u n i c a t i o nIEEERO-MAN2022
3 1 st I E E E I n te r n at i o n a l C o n fe re n c eo n Ro b o t & H u m a n I n te ra c t i ve C o m m u n i cat i o n

How Users, Facility Managers, and Bystanders Perceive and Accepta Navigation Robot for Visually Impaired People in Public Buildings
S. Kayukawa1,2 D. Sato3 M. Murata4 T. Ishihara4 A. Kosugi4 H. Takagi2,4 S. Morishima1 C. Asakawa2,4
1. Waseda University 2. Miraikan - The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation 3. Carnegie Mellon University 4. IBM ResearchOverview

Movie

AI-Suitcase: Navigation Robot for Blind PeopleOverviewThree Studies into AI-Suitcase’s Social AcceptanceAssistive Systems for Orientation and Mobility
LaserCane

NavCogCaBotObstacle Detection

Smartphone-based Navigation

Robotic Navigation[Bionic Instruments ‘65]

[Ahmetovic ‘16]

[Guerreiro ‘19]

Assistive Systems in Public Buildings
Blind User

By Standers

Facility Staff

Assistive systems should obtain widespread acceptance by societySocial Acceptance of Assistive Systems
Wearable Camera

Computer Vision

Autonomous Robot[Lee ‘20][Ahmed ‘18]

[Azenkot ‘16]

Blind User and Bystanders

Blind User only

Our studies’ targets are blind user, bystanders, and facility managers

AI-Suitcase

Movie

Open-Source Robotics Project [1][1] https://github.com/CMU-cabot

Hardware

iPhoneRobot’s destinations control
RGBD-Camera
Pedestrian detection
LiDARLocalization & Obstacle Detection
CPU, Battery
Robot control
Motor
Autonomous driving

Design Principle
CaBot

AI-Suitcase

Assemble the robot into a suitcase

The user and robot canassimilate into the environment[Guerreiro ‘19]

Part 1, Online Survey of the Public

300 participants answered their impressionsof AI-Suitcase after watching videos that
presented the futures of AI-Suitcase.

Social Acceptance of Autonomous Robot
Security Robot

Delivery Robot[Joseph ‘20]

[Pani ‘20]

Robot only

AI-Suitcase

Robot + User

Social Acceptance of Autonomous Robot

Research Question
Security Robot

Delivery Robot

Blind Navigation Robot

How will bystanders accept AI-Suitcase moving aboutin public buildings?
How does social acceptance change between the robot
guiding blind users and the robot moving about alone?
[Joseph ‘20]

[Pani ‘20]

Robot only

Robot + UserVideo Stimuli
Watch two videos that present the future of AI-Suitcase

Robot only

Robot + User

MovieParticipants
GenderAge
Decline to state: 3(1%)

Female: 142(47.3%)

Male: 155(51.7%)
1020

30

40

50

60

18 ~ 67 (Mean = 37.94 and SD = 9.58)

70

Finding 1: Overall AcceptanceIf the robot is moving about in public buildings, I would feel ...
Obstructedp < 0.001*
Robot + Userp < 0.001*

UnsafeRobot only
12Agree3(Low Acceptance)

4567

Disagree(High Acceptance)

The robot guiding a user received significantly higher social acceptancethan the robot moving about alone.

Finding 2: Camera Acceptance
I am OK with the robot’s camera capturing me if it is used for ...
(the captured data is used for one-time detection only and not saved)

OK (5~7)assisting blind
people only
not only assisting
blind people

75.3%
54.7%
12
not OK

34567
OKThe robot’s camera will accepted if it is used for assisting blind people.

Part 2, Interview with Facility Managers

15 facility managers answered the concernsthat may arise when introducing AI-Suitcase to
their facilities

15 Facility Managers in 6 Organizations
Shopping Mall
Tenant Manager

Rehabilitation Center

Polyclinic

O&M Trainer

Manager

Technical Adviser
Real Estate Development

Science Museum

Discount StoreCSR Promoter

Facility Manager

Corporate Officer

Customer Support

Visitor Service

Business Consultant

Strategy Manager

Store Designer

Facility Manerger’s Three Concerns
Privacy Concern

Safety Concern

Visibility Concern

Handling Camera
and Captured DataEnsuring Safety ofUsers and Visitors

Showing that users
are blind people

Privacy Concern

There is a concern that customers may
misunderstand the purpose of the robot’s camera,
which could cause some trouble.
[Shopping mall]Safety Concern

This robot may be perceived as a suitcase for travel.
I think that public would not notice that the user isvisually impaired or would not avoid them.
[Real Estate Development]

Visibility Concern

If the robot lets the surrounding visitors know that it is used for supporting
blind users, they will accept the robot’s camera.
[Shopping mall]

If the robot informs surrounding people that the user is visually impaired,people could avoid them, reducing the risk of collision.
[Real Estate Development]

Part 3, Focus Groups with Blind Users

12 blind participants experienced the robot
navigation and then discussed the three concerns(privacy, safety, and visibility concern).

Trial Session of AI-Suitcase

Facility Manerger’s Three Concerns
Privacy Concern

Safety Concern

Visibility Concern

Handling Camera
and Captured Data

Ensuring Safety ofUsers and VisitorsShowing that users
are blind people

Visibility Concern
Q: Do you OK with notifying surrounding people that you are blind people?

Not OK (5) / OK (7)I do not want to emphasize that I am visually impaired. It is great that the designof the robot is based on a suitcase and is natural and modest.

[P1]

It is good that this suitcase-shaped robot may not make me look like a visually
impaired person, unlike when walking with a guide dog, which may make it obvious.
[P6]

Visibility Concern
Q: Do you OK with notifying surrounding people that you are blind people?

Not OK (5) / OK (7)When I get into an accident such as a collision with someone, if they are awarethat I am visually impaired, it can reduce the possibility of me being in trouble.
[P11]
If surrounding people will be concerned about privacy and so on, I think it might bebetter to clarify the usage of the camera on the suitcase.
[P6]

Discossion: Divergent Opinion on Visibility Concern
High Visibility

Low Visibility

More safety in crowded environment

Satisfy the blind users’ needs

It should be clear to others that aThe robot’s design concept was gooduser is visually impaired so that

because it were so natural anddecrease privacy and safety concerns.

intelligent that the user would not[Facility Manager]

seem visually impaired.
[Blind User]Future Work
Studies in the wild to seek a balance between visibility and assimilation.

Sound Alert
StickerWhite CaneHigh Visibility Style

Low Visibility Style

Metrics
Number of collisions, System’s acceptance with other visitors, User preference, ...

How Users, Facility Managers, and Bystanders Perceive and Accept
a Navigation Robot for Visually Impaired People in Public Buildings
We investigated acceptance and concerns regarding autonomous navigation robots
for visually impaired people in public buildings by conducting three studies.
We analyzed the privacy, safety, and visibility concerns of our navigation robot anddiscussed the convergent and divergent opinions among each stakeholder.