Development of a University Guidance and Information Robot

Abstract

We are developing a social robot that will be deployed in a large, recently-built university building designed for learning and teaching. We outline the design process for this robot, which has included consultations with stakeholders including members of university services, students and other visitors to the building, as well as members of the "Reach Out'' team who normally provide in-person support in the building. These consultations have resulted in a clear specification of the desired robot functionality, which will combine central helpdesk queries with local information about the building and the surrounding university campus. We outline the technical components that will be used to develop the robot system, and also describe how the success of the deployed robot will be evaluated.