Post 1: Our Initial Ideas
Post 1: Our Initial Ideas
Target Users:
Elderly individuals
People with mobility impairments (e.g., paralysis)
Engagement Plan:
We will go to a retirement home to pitch our idea
Contact family members who may be within the target group.
Talk to users about their challenges and things they would like in a robot
Have them try our robot to gauge interest and feedback.
Common Challenges:
Difficulty bending over or reaching down to retrieve objects.
Reliance on others for simple retrieval tasks.
Robot Tasks and Functionalities:
Receive simple voice or remote commands specifying [object, location].
Navigate to the specified location, identify and pick up the object.
Deliver the object directly to the user or place it in a user-specified location.
Potential Issues:
Incorrect object identification or retrieval of unintended items.
Target Users:
Visually impaired individuals
Temporarily visually impaired individuals (e.g., post-surgery like LASIK)
Engagement Plan:
Visit schools for the blind or rehabilitation centers.
Interview users about navigation challenges and preferred robot assistance features.
Allow users to test the robot for practical feedback.
Common Challenges:
Difficulty navigating unfamiliar environments without visual input.
Risk of collisions or falls due to unseen obstacles.
Robot Tasks and Functionalities:
Receive navigation requests from users and guide them to desired indoor locations.
Preloaded maps of user’s home or facility.
Memorize frequently visited locations (e.g., bathroom, kitchen).
Detect and avoid obstacles such as furniture or objects on the floor.
Provide real-time feedback to users through audio signals or tactile vibrations (via wearable devices or mobile phones).
Potential Issues:
Safety concerns around obstacles and the proximity of the robot to visually impaired users.
Reliability and accuracy of obstacle detection and user feedback mechanisms.