Integrating roboticist values into a Value Sensitive Design framework for humanoid robots

Abstract

A good body of work in HRI has investigated how to design humanoids to effectively serve users' needs. This user centered approach has proved fruitful, but there exists relatively little work examining the intent and values of the roboticists themselves. Furthermore, we know little of how the values of roboticists influence their own designs. Such knowledge could help designers better reflect on whether their designs effectively convey particular ethics to their users. In this study, we analyzed 27 interviews of pioneer humanoid roboticists, seeking to identify the values of such roboticists. Our results suggest that roboticists' values are shaped by a dominant engineering-based background that emphasizes robotics as a field of integration (especially humanoids). Roboticists also see robots as testbeds for learning about humans themselves. We advocate a VSD approach for humanoids that goes beyond engineering disciplines and forces values to the forefront of discussion.