Advancements in computing power and robot control algorithms are making robots increasingly capable. They have become so proficient that companies are now starting to deploy robots on public roads for tasks traditionally performed by humans, such as delivery and inspection. However, like humans, robots are not infallible and will occasionally need assistance if they get stuck or lost. While a human in this situation might ask someone nearby for help, this does not yet seem to be a common strategy for robots, despite its potential to significantly simplify their incident recovery procedures.
This thesis investigates how autonomous robots can communicate their need for help, and how to facilitate the process of helping a robot. It begins with an exploratory design process to evaluate various communication and assistance strategies. To efficiently iterate on these help-seeking methods, a small-scale robotic system was designed and built using off-the-shelf components and 3D-printed parts. This platform was then used to gather insights into how users experience these communication methods in a laboratory environment. Finally, the findings from these tests informed the final design of a larger-scale robot communicating its need for assistance in a public setting. Using this robot, it was found that 12% of random bystanders were willing to and able to assist the robot when stuck in a public space. ... Read more