Ecosystem of a robotic device/ service

Tutoring: Prof. Scheuer, KA U. Rogler
Further Advice: Tiina Karhu (Nokia Design) / Seamus Moloney (Nokia Research Center) / Juha-Pekka Luoma (Nokia Research Center) / Antti Virolainen (Nokia Research Center) / Stefano Adardi (Software architect Zipipop) / Richard van Kauffmann ( AD Zipipop) / Fréderic Kaplan (AI Researcher EPFL Lausanne)




Background

Prototyp from Nokia Research Center "Jeppe"

"Jeppe"

On the 11th of August Nokias Research Center (NRC) announced their concept "Jeppe "designed to be a social robot creature that's treated more like an electronic pet"(Nokia conversations) "Jeppe is a Nokia prototype that explores how we might accept a different breed of video communication in our homes that's more compelling and breaks the mould of the traditional PC/webcam scenario."(core77)

Design Issues to be solved:

The domestic robot is a work in progress, therefore there are several design issues that still have to be solved: The current appearance and performance of "The Pet" or "Jeppe" doesn't reflect the actual opportunities of this idea. According to certain comments on Engadget and elsewhere, this communication robot is perceived as "creepy", it "looks like a helmet" and there's a concern that it might look under peoples skirts. Furthermore there might be usability problems, for example elderly people who aren´t able to bend down to lift the robot up from the floor.

Context:

Being aware of these issues the NRC offered me the great opportunity to develop a concept design. This will be done in the context of a university collaboration to point out new opportunities for this idea. In my opinion communication has to get more intuitive in order to react to peoples changing perception of the overlap between the physical and digital worlds.

1. Research

Mapping of robot characters in films

How would a mobile application like "Zipiko" work on the robot? Together with Richard and Stefano I had a quick chat how their application may work on a robot and which benefits a robot may bring to it.
more about Zipipop

 
Fréderic Kaplan at Lift Asia 08 about "robotized" objects source: liftconference.com

Together with the AI researcher Frédéric Kaplan I had a conversation about the integration of the robot into an ecosystem, about controlling the device and how the robot can find its way through the flat. Frederick Kaplan is currently a researcher at the EPFL in Lausanne. and worked at the Sony CSL on projects such as the Sony Aibo. His hypothesis is that we need robotized objects rather than robots. A current example of this robotized objects is his project Wizkid.

2. Ideation

How can the robot take care about itself ?

3. Applying thoughts and findings in a tangible concept

3.1. Device Appearance

a big on/ off button keeps the user feeling of being in control

Familiarity: a 8.9 inch touchscreen reminds on the size of internet notebooks

1:1 mock-up with a soft skin

3.2. Interaction between user and product/ service

Control: The device can be controlled in two ways: In a gesture and voice mode and in a touch screen mode for more complexe tasks (such as replying e-mails). The device switches automatically according to the distance to the users face.

Intuitive out of box experience

The device syncs up with its digital and physical ecosystem

Learning experience

taking care about itself: The robot charges itself in an induction charging shelter, which it finds through visual tags on the ceiling

Cloudsourcing: The robot stores a backup of its data and "character" in an internet account

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