A Framework on Division of Work Tasks between Humans and Robots in the Home

Abstract

This paper analyzes work activity in the home, e.g., cleaning, performed by two actors, a human and a robot. Nowadays, there are attempts to automate this activity through the use of robots. However, the activity of cleaning, in and of itself, is not important; it is used instrumentally to understand if and how robots can be integrated within current and future homes. The theoretical framework of the paper is based on empirical work collected as part of the Multimodal Elderly Care Systems (MECS) project. The study proposes a framework for the division of work tasks between humans and robots. The framework is anchored within existing research and our empirical findings. Swim-lane diagrams are used to visualize the tasks performed (WHAT), by each of the two actors, to ascertain the tasks’ temporality (WHEN), and their distribution and transitioning from one actor to the other (WHERE). The study presents the framework of various dimensions of work tasks, such as the types of work tasks, but also the temporality and spatiality of tasks, illustrating linear, parallel, sequential, and distributed tasks in a shared or non-shared space. The study’s contribution lies in its foundation for analyzing work tasks that robots integrated into or used in the home may generate for humans, along with their multimodal interactions. Finally, the framework can be used to visualize, plan, and design work tasks for the human and for the robot, respectively, and their work division.

Health Professionals’ Views on the Use of Social Robots with Vulnerable Users: A Scenario-Based Qualitative Study Using Story Dialogue Method

“…Matsuhira and colleagues [7] presented their modified set of the seven principles with a focus that objects and rooms in an environment should also be usable by robots, for example by providing geometric markers so a robot can know where to place itself or using different fasteners for that do not require the precision of bolts. Similarly, others suggested that the guidelines could and should be adapted and applied to social robots, especially if these robots shall be used by a large number of users, including vulnerable users [8], [9]. Kim and colleagues [10] interpreted the original guidelines and showed how the system could work for wheeled robots and a robotic arm that is mounted on a wheelchair.…”

“…In our study, the topic of the SDM workshops was "Robots and Vulnerable Users." OVERVIEW OF THE PARTICIPANTS [18].…”

T-able: An Investigation of Habituating Moving Tables at Home

“…Nevertheless, elderly people seem to also be more familiar with such robots, as shown in [6]. Challenges still remain in the work that the elderly themselves, or their formal and informal care giver, need to do to fit the robot in their homes [8], [11], [12]. Articulation work (see [13], [14] for definitions) and nevertheless invisible work (see [15]- [21] for definitions and examples) seems to be necessary when introducing robots in the homes of the elderly.…”

Strengthening human autonomy in the era of autonomous technology.

“…Interaction with robots, (chat)bots, or smart vehicles. We have seen that with the introduction of a robot in a domestic setting, humans need to carry out facilitation [21,22] or articulation work [23][24][25]. How do we describe how we relate to technology that performs tasks for us and with us?…”

“…How do we describe and critically evaluate the different ways that technology represent, protect, and support or weaken human autonomy? Within this theme, we include questions about how we can design these interactions, i.e., how to design for capabilities [26], prolonged mastery [27], or situated abilities [28,29], how to design for perception and meaning-making when imperceptible interaction is the basis, how to design for interaction with moving things like robots [23,24,29,30] or autonomous vehicles? We also think that a debate about the (human) values and foci of the 4th shift in interaction design / HCI is timely, as are possible mechanisms and design concepts for increasing human autonomy [31].…”