CHI 2024 · Avatar Robot Cafe
Extended Avatar Customer Service at the Avatar Robot Cafe
Working Through Two Kinds of Avatars — Robot and Virtual
People who have difficulty leaving home serve customers not only through robotic avatars but also through virtual avatars designed to express who they are. How does moving between these two avatars act on their identity? Longitudinal interviews with seven pilots revealed the process.
At the Avatar Robot Cafe (DAWN ver.β), people with mobility limitations serve customers by teleoperating off-the-shelf robot avatars. What if, in addition to the robots, they could also use a "virtual avatar" designed to express who they are, displayed on a large screen during service? How would the pilots' experience change?
Background
Despite the spread of the metaverse, there is still little research examining how people with disabilities make use of virtual avatars and virtual environments. Mass-produced robot avatars allow pilots to keep their disability undisclosed, but they may also push each person's individuality into the background. In this study, we introduced a hybrid cyber-physical setting combining robots and virtual avatars into the actual cafe and examined its effects.
Research Question
How does using an off-the-shelf robot avatar together with a virtual avatar — one that can be designed free of physical constraints — affect the identity of pilots with disabilities?
Methods
Seven pilots with disabilities working at the Avatar Robot Cafe (DAWN ver.β) took part in developing and using individually designed virtual avatars displayed on a large screen. They used these in combination with the existing physical robots, and we investigated the psychological changes through semi-structured interviews conducted at multiple points in time.
Findings
The mass-produced robot avatars allowed pilots to keep their disability undisclosed if they wished, but they also tended to push personal identity into the background. In contrast, virtual avatars designed free of physical constraints brought out each person's individuality. Using the robot and the virtual avatar together proved mutually complementary, and helped the pilots redefine their own identities.