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Boudouraki, Andriana (2024) The practical realities of Mobile Robotic Telepresence: understanding experiences, interactions and the implications for use in organisational spaces. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

This thesis presents an in-depth examination of Mobile Robotic Telepresence (MRP). The work uncovers the social organisation of interactions and highlights the practical considerations of using the technology in organisational spaces. MRP systems are remotely controlled, mobile robots with video-conferencing capabilities. A remote user can drive the robot from an online interface whilst projecting their face on the robot’s screen. Thus the remote user is (in theory) able to move independently.

Capitalising on the shift to remote work, commercially available MRP models are often marketed as the solution to maintaining presence at the workplace. Research on MRP has explored the applications in a variety of settings, with unclear conclusions as to its value. Whilst studies claim that the technology allows users to feel a sense of presence in the mediated environment, several limitations and reports of unsuccessful deployments raise questions as to its value. There is little critical examination of what a `sense of presence' means in that context and what role it plays in hybrid interaction. Moreover, there is a lack of in-depth information on what exactly occurs when MRP is used in everyday, real-world contexts.

The present thesis seeks to address that gap by showcasing the practical realities of MRP experiences ---both within interaction and in the broader deployment of the technology--- and then applying this understanding into assessing the suitability of the medium for hybrid organisational spaces. To this end, the thesis employs various qualitative research methods (interviews, video-data, autoethnography and deployment studies), to examine the subject from multiple angles and at different levels of detail. The broader approach to research is inspired by Ethnonmethodology and Conversation Analysis (EMCA), aiming to bring to the foreground the taken-for-granted details of how MRP works.

The empirical work of this thesis is divided into two parts. The first part consists of three studies which focus on developing a detailed understanding of MRP experiences and interactions. These include an interview study of long-term users, a video study of user pairs engaged in a collaborative task and an autobiographical study of the author using an MRP in her home.

The second part of the thesis looks into the application of MRP in organisational settings. This includes a case study outlining the work of deploying MRP in an office, and a follow-up interview study examining the fitness of the technology within that setting.

The thesis contributes to the literature by showcasing the practical realities of MRP use and deployment, providing a detailed description of MPR as a distinct category of mediated interaction and drawing out implications for its use in hybrid organisational settings. Furthermore, this thesis contributes to future work by introducing the use of auto-ethnographic methods in HRI research, by respecifying the focus of telepresence research away from presence and towards participation and, lastly, by identifying the functions and implications of mobility in computer-mediated communication technologies. Future work might thus benefit from moving away from the existing tablet-on-a-stick design paradigm and envision forms of robotic mediation that truly meet the demands of meaningful participation in hybrid spaces.

Item Type:	Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors:	Fischer, Joel Reeves, Stuart Rintel, Sean
Keywords:	mobile robotic telepresence, telecommunication, computer mediated communication, hybrid working
Subjects:	Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA 75 Electronic computers. Computer science T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering > TK5101 Telecommunication
Faculties/Schools:	UK Campuses > Faculty of Science > School of Computer Science
Item ID:	78300
Depositing User:	Boudouraki, Andriana
Date Deposited:	23 Jul 2024 04:40
Last Modified:	23 Jul 2024 04:40
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/78300

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