Reimagining Trustworthy Autonomous Systems
The ‘Reimagining Trustworthy Autonomous Systems’ part of the project focuses on the third of our research objectives: To draw upon the practices of makerspaces to explore the aspirations of disabled young people in relation to TAS.
On this page you can see some of the findings and analytical reflections from our three workshops and our field trips which centre around:
reestablishing relationships and introducing Maker{Futures}
playing and exploring with maker spaces
becoming makers with Maker{Futures}
meeting the designers and immersing ourselves through field trips
Centering makerspaces in this element of co-production moves the young people we work with between two positions - researcher and maker - thus offering a unique opportunity to interrogate the co-production enterprise.
Getting to know each other: Building trust
Exploring: What is trust?
Exploring: Do we trust technology?
Reintroducing & revisiting trust
Beebots, buscuits & apples - Autonomus decision making
Circles of trust
TAS in context & changing environments
Do we trust robots?
Asking university researchers important questions
About Maker{Futures}
Building on our contributions from the first part of the project (see here), our student co-researchers developed a partnership with a team from Maker{futures} - including Alison, Saman, Liz and Hattie.
In this part of the project, Maker{Futures} set up three makerspaces where our students acted not only as users of technology, but co-researchers, co-designers and importantly, co-makers. The makerspaces sessions explored how makers think using the Maker{Cycle} (look, think, make, try) method. This method:
supports us to build skills in making and improving what we make.
enables discussions around finding and solving problems around design so we can reimagine and adapt to better suit us.
The sessions mixed low and hi tech making including cardboard, crafts, electronics and simple robotics. Based within a school day, our morning session explored the Maker{Move} mobile makerspace including VR, robotics, woodwork, electronics and the afternoon engaged our co-researchers to work on a mini maker project or 'prototype'.
Visiting the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC)
In November 2022 our student co-researchers visited the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). We took a tour of the building and saw some of the latest technology and robots in action! Staff were ready and waiting to instruct and teach us all about the technology they had in store.
Upon arrival, our student team all received lanyards to mark themselves as important visitors to the centre. Lots of questions were asked - about the car, the materials, robots and the staff met along the way!
We also took some time to talk about what we knew about robots. We talked about what robots might be used for, what they are good for and what they might not be so good at!
A particular highlight of the trip was that each of our student co-researchers used one of the computers to print their name on a pen. Everyone loved receiving a pen with their own name on and they even got to choose the style of font and pen colour! Making the pens continued the process of our student co-researchers being 'makers' of technology following on from their maker{futures} workshops.
Stephen Bowles and Cathie Barker, our team members at the AMRC, ran the tour. We slowly moved around the building to ensure we could all look at the robots and have plenty of time for all of the questions (serious and silly ones!). Thanks to Steve and Cathie!
Visiting the University of York Institute for Safe Autonomy (ISA)
In December 2022 our student co-researchers visited the Institute for Safe Autonomy (ISA building) at the University of York. We took a tour of the building, saw some demonstrations and participated in some of the latest technological developments and forms of learning. The Director of ISA also met with us and gave us an introduction and explained some of the work they were up to at the institute!
We saw robots building robots and asked critical questions about their value and use, as well as asking the names of robots and suggesting ones of our own!
We also saw the current robot in development, DAISY (An A+E triage robot, funded by the TAS hub) as well as playing around with its functions and associated technologies such as blood pressure monitors, digital thermometers and data entry via DAISY's touch screen.
We also met the robot, Pepper (a humanoid robot) where we asked questions and sought to interact with Pepper based on a list of prompts and questions set out. Pepper didn't always listen or pick up our voices. One of our student co-researchers also asked the question: 'Where is Salt?'
The York team also set up a series of participatory activities which were gamified machine learning activities. These included:
Can you escape the zombies?
Does the computer understand your pictures?
Can the computer see what you are doing?
Guess the sequence!
As part of the workshop, we also explored how to control crane robots and discuss safety concerns that may come with it.
Our student co-researchers also received a notebook, pen and ruler from the York ISA which was a big hit and added to the collection of things created and received as a result of the project.
Colin Paterson, Juan Wang, Chiara Picardi and Radu Calinescu organised the day. Thank you to the York team!
