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This multi-perspective study focuses on how a service robot for the elderly should behave when interacting with potential users. An existing service robot and a scenario were used as a concrete case, which was discussed and analyzed during focus group sessions with older adults (n = 38), informal caregivers (n = 24), and professional caregivers (n = 35) in the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom. A total of seven topics—privacy, task execution, environment, appearance, behavior, visitors, and communication—were explored. The results showed that some of the characteristics mentioned were unique to a user group, but several were cross-cutting. Overall, potential users expected the service robot to be customizable in order to match the users’ needs and preferences. Also, high expectations concerning its functioning and behavior were expressed, which sometimes could even be compared to the qualities of a human being. This emphasizes the complexity of service robot development for older adults, and highlights the need for a personalized and flexible solution. One size does not fit all, and specific attention should be paid to the development of the robot’s social behavior and skills beyond a mere functional support for the person.

A set of prominent designers embarked on a research journey to explore aesthetics in movement-based design. Here we unpack one of the design sensitivities unique to our practice: a strong first person perspective-where the movements, somatics and aesthetic sensibilities of the designer, design researcher and user are at the forefront. We present an annotated portfolio of design exemplars and a brief introduction to some of the design methods and theory we use, together substantiating and explaining the first-person perspective. At the same time, we show how this felt dimension, despite its subjective nature, is what provides rigor and structure to our design research. Our aim is to assist researchers in soma-based design and designers wanting to consider the multiple facets when designing for the aesthetics of movement. The applications span a large field of designs, including slow introspective, contemplative interactions, arts, dance, health applications, games, work applications and many others., QC 20180626

Purpose: The potential of service robots for seniors is given increasing attention as the ageing population in Western countries will continue to grow as well as the demand for home care. In order to capture the experience of living with a robot at home, a multi-perspective evaluation was conducted. Methods: Older adults (n = 10) were invited to execute an actual interaction scenario with the Care-O-bot® robot in a home-like environment and were questioned about their experiences. Additionally, interviews were conducted with the elderly participants, informal carers (n = 7) and professional caregivers (n = 11). Results: Seniors showed to be more keen to accept the robot than their caregivers and relatives. However, the robot in its current form was found to be too limited and participants wished the robot could perform more complex tasks. In order to be acceptable a future robot should execute these complex tasks based on the personal preferences of the user which would require the robot to be flexible and extremely smart, comparable to the care that is delivered by a human carer. Conclusions: Developing the functional features to perform activities is not the only challenge in robot development that deserves the attention of robot developers. The development of social behaviour and skills should be addressed as well. This is possible adopting a person-centred design approach, which relies on validation activities with actual users in realistic environments, similar to those described in this paper. Implications for rehabilitationAttitude of older adults towards service robotsPotential of service robots for older adults

The Quietude project uses making, participation and co-design to collectively imagine a more sustainable, aesthetically enriched future for deaf women, by developing wearables that respond to the women’s needs and desires: those that are well known, and those that may be only dimly glimpsed. We present our motivation and process, and describe our first workshop that brought together deaf women, ethicists, makers, designers and technology experts. The workshop led to the design and development of an ecology of jewellery products: fashionable accessories that enhance the experience of deaf women by translating sounds into vibration, light patterns and shape change. We reflect on the opportunities and challenges of developing aesthetically rich wearables for deaf women, using experimental participatory design methods, and the value of considering disability as an opportunity for wearables design, rather than as an issue that needs to be addressed or solved.

BACKGROUND: Play is essential for children's development. Children with severe physical disabilities often experience problems engaging in play. In rehabilitation and special education for children with physical disabilities play-like activities and play for play's sake are important. OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed at examining the possibilities of using the IROMEC robot in rehabilitation and special education for children with severe physical disabilities. METHODS: A mixed methods approach, using individual interviews, two rounds of focus group interviews, a questionnaire and a final session to reach consensus, was used to examine the match between the goals in therapy and special education and the IROMEC robot. RESULTS: The existing play scenarios of IROMEC have the potential to support play for children with severe physical disabilities, especially in the domains of movement functions, learning and applying knowledge, communication/interpersonal interactions and relationships, and play. CONCLUSIONS: The current study helped to build a body of evidence to the possibilities of the IROMEC robot. The results of this study can be used to further develop meaningful robotic play interventions for children with severe physical disabilities.

Movement-based interaction design is increasingly popular, with application domains ranging from dance, sport, gaming to physical rehabilitation. In a workshop at CHI 2016, a set of prominent artists, game designers, and interaction designers embarked on a research journey to explore what we came to refer to as "aesthetics in soma-based design". In this follow-up workshop, we would like to take the next step, shifting from discussing the philosophical underpinnings we draw upon to explain and substantiate our practice, to form our own interaction design theory and conceptualisations. We propose that soma-based design theory needs practical, pragmatic as well as analytical study - otherwise the felt dimension will be missing. We will consider how such tacit knowledge can be articulated, documented and shared. To ground the discussion firmly in the felt experience of our own practice, the workshop is organised as a joint practical design work session, supported by analytical study.

The key concern of CSCW research is that of understanding computing technologies in the social context of their use, that is, as integral features of our practices and our lives, and to think of their design and implementation under that perspective. However, the question of the nature of that which is actually integrated in our practices is often discussed in confusing ways, if at all. The article aims to try to clarify the issue and in doing so revisits and reconsiders the notion of ‘computational artifact’.

The paper describes an interactive installation exploring perspectives on women’s rights, triggering visitors’ personal reflections through an immersive experience. Starting from the life histories of the women depicted in three paintings from fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth century, we explored three themes: emancipation, self-determination and violence. In the installation, representations of these three paintings were fragmented into panels, floating in the space suspended from a self-standing structure. On these elements, both the original painting and a writhing of visual material were dynamically displayed using a projector. The presence and movement of visitors in the room was tracked by means of a Kinect™ camera and influenced both the position and movements of the panels. A software crawler monitored discussions and debates on social networks. The intensity of these discussions was reflected in the movements of the panels and the content of the projections. The purpose of this interactive installation is to engage visitors in composing a harmonious picture of the complex domain of women’s rights. The experiential form confronts visitors with the opinions of other people debating the theme worldwide. The installation was the outcome of a craft-inspired learning module, grounded on constructivism and reflective practice.

In this paper, we describe an interactive exhibition entitled Ballade of Women that explored perspectives on women’s rights. The installation was designed as an immersive experience aimed at engaging visitors to trigger meaningful and personal reflections on women’s rights. Visitors moved through a dynamic environment, where they experienced three themes: violence, emancipation and self-determination, represented by three artworks. Digital representations of the three paintings were fragmented in moving panels. The movement of the panels was determined by the movement and presence of visitors as well as by the input received by online communities discussing the topic of the exhibition. The installation created awareness, and stimulated reflection through a bodily involvement, demonstrating how complex and controversial taking a position on such topics can be. The experience concurred in stimulating and reinforcing a reflection on their relevance, complexity and universality.

This video illustrates the exhibition “Ballade of Women” that took places in Siena at the Fondazione Monte de’ Paschi in June 2014. The exhibition is, and elicits, a reflection on women’s rights: self- determination, emancipation and habeas corpus. It is an exploration on how these themes are represented and perceived in a dialogue between materiality and online content. The exhibition contains an interactive installation, which plays with the concept of fragmentation. It shows how complex and articulated such themes are. This it achieves by actively engaging visitors in a dynamic visual and auditory conversation. The video [1] documents the complete experience of the exhibition.