Harriet R. Cameron

Domestic robots are fast becoming an integrated part of daily life. In anticipation of increased uptake of robotic assistants in the home, researchers and designers must investigate what makes domestic robotic interventions trustworthy or untrustworthy as a matter of urgency. This paper explores the concept of failure in domestic robotics, using the case of a dishwasher robot, and its impact on trustworthiness. It asks what constitutes trust, what constitutes failure, and what are the impacts failure may have on service providers, users, and the robot itself. We present the findings from four workshops with robotics experts and potential end users. We show that failure is simultaneously complex and predictable and re-evaluate existing taxonomies of failure, applying them to the domestic sphere, thereby highlighting social and corporate facets of failure that are not currently represented. We also provide a new taxonomy of failure outcomes to highlight how failures can breach trust, and what effects that breach may have.

Uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) such as drones are an increasingly mundane part of our skies, and are expected as an industry to undergo exponential growth in the coming decade. In order to monitor and manage the airspace, Uncrewed Traffic Management (UTM) systems are being developed that will ensure UAS are able to interface with one another and with relevant forces on the ground. However, the remit of what UTM systems should incorporate is still in flux, leading to slow progress and lack of clarity in regulations that is already impacting the ability of the UAS industry to evolve. We present the findings of interviews with experts related to UAS, UTM, and general air traffic management in order to understand their concerns and hopes for the future of UTM. In particular, we examine how UTM should be shaped by questions around safety, trustworthiness, and fairness of our airspaces. We use these findings to present a roadmap for future UTM developments, including the introduction of scenario generation to embed these findings in tangible airspace models.

We report on the development and deployment of an immersive Virtual Heritage app designed to recreate part of the physical and social world of an important Roman town in the UK. By accurately locating and scaling a Virtual Roman Forum on the present-day rural site it was intended to augment the experiences people value in the tranquil environment of the present day, while encouraging a deeper connection with the historic place. An evaluation with frequent, and first-time visitors to the site suggested that the environment was valued for its relaxing, outdoor properties. Most visitors found the app highly engaging and somewhat immersive. Moreover, the app was able to increase understanding and connection to the Romano-British past buried under the grass. The findings support our contention that through mindful design, Virtual Heritage technologies can be both interesting and exciting, whilst building connection to natural environments with personal and community benefits. Also, that these benefits can be achieved non-intrusively without damaging the physical or social environment.

Museums are interested in designing emotional visitor experiences to complement traditional interpretations. HCI is interested in the relationship between Affective Computing and Affective Interaction. We describe Sensitive Pictures, an emotional visitor experience co-created with the Munch art museum. Visitors choose emotions, locate associated paintings in the museum, experience an emotional story while viewing them, and self-report their response. A subsequent interview with a portrayal of the artist employs computer vision to estimate emotional responses from facial expressions. Visitors are given a souvenir postcard visualizing their emotional data. A study of 132 members of the public (39 interviewed) illuminates key themes: designing emotional provocations; capturing emotional responses; engaging visitors with their data; a tendency for them to align their views with the system's interpretation; and integrating these elements into emotional trajectories. We consider how Affective Computing can hold up a mirror to our emotions during Affective Interaction