Social drone companion for the home environment: a user-centric exploration

Abstract

Recent research has focused on how to facilitate interaction between humans and robots, giving rise to the field of human robot interaction. A related research area is human-drone interaction (HDI), investigating how interaction between humans and drones can be expanded in novel and meaningful ways. In this work, we explore the use of drones as companions in a home environment. We present three consecutive studies addressing user requirements and design space of companion drones. Following a user-centered approach, the three stages include online questionnaire, design workshops, and simulated virtual reality (VR) home environment. Our results show that participants preferred the idea of a drone companion at home, particularly for tasks such as fetching items and cleaning. The participants were also positive towards a drone companion that featured anthropomorphic features.