Programming robots at the museum

Abstract

We describe our experience exhibiting a human-size robot in a museum, encouraging visitors to interact with the robot and even program it to perform a sequence of timed poses. At the museum, users' programs were run on a real robot for all to see. The installation attracted and engaged visitors from age two to adult. The most intuitive of our interfaces was equally captivating for young and older visitors. We present the pros and cons of our interfaces and the engagement of visitors at the exhibit as lessons for other exhibitors who aim to achieve active prolonged engagement with robots in museum settings.