Having a robot friend that can help high schoolers with languages or other homework is no longer just science-fiction. However, for effective interactions, input from its intended users is crucial. Human-centered design plays a crucial role in ensuring that robotic companions are both accepted and appreciated.
RoboStudio, based in Tampere University (Finland), is a multidisciplinary co-learning space dedicated to the research and development of social robotics. Established to support both educational and research activities, it hosts courses like "User Experience in Robotics" and facilitates social robotics-related thesis projects. The studio also hosts co-learning events and workshops, inviting external people, such as high school students, to collaborate and learn alongside university students. The studio is home to various social robots, including Furhat, each serving different roles in research and user experience studies.
As centering the user is crucial for students at RoboStudio, they hosted a co-design workshop with high school students to gather insights and preferences about Furhat. The final design incorporated these inputs along with state-of-the-art research on social robotics and language learning. The findings of the workshop highlighted that user’s engagement with robots can be increased when robots understand feelings, recreate facial expressions and remember what users did. Participants also preferred robots with friendly and familiar appearance, such as the ones of animated characters.
The team designed Furhat to track students' performance and learning habits, offer them personalised language lessons, encourage regular practice and give direct feedback. They also developed a mobile app connected to the robot that would allow users to customise Furhat’s settings according to their needs and preferences.
The project was presented at the Finnish Robo Carnival, where students and other participants had the opportunity to interact with the robot and provide feedback for future improvements. Through this project, university students at RoboStudio gained firsthand experience in applying human-centered design principles to robotics. The process reinforced the importance of gathering feedback to create practical, user-friendly, and effective robots that can make a real impact in education and beyond.
