Inconsequential encounters : exploring interactions with sidewalk robots in public spaces

Abstract

This thesis explores human-robot interactions in public spaces, using Starship delivery robots as a case study, to understand how these technologies integrate into urban communities. Situated within Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) and informed by Science and Technology Studies (STS), the research relies on a multi-method approach, including ethnography inspired observations, interviews, online content analysis, and survey based quantitative studies, to capture the nuances of interactions between robots and people native to the community where robots are deployed. It highlights diverse responses—from fleeting adjustments to voluntary assistance—and examines how community members perceive robots as quasi-social, purposeful (though not necessarily immediately pragmatically useful) actors, fostering pride. The findings highlight that sidewalk robots invite not only novel forms of interactions but allow to articulate tensions regarding what these interactions may mean for different stakeholders. Related to instances of voluntary assistance, the thesis illustrates how such help can be perceived as care, work,or unnecessary dependency. Feedback from these street-level encounters also significantly informs iterative design processes.Taken together, the thesis advances HRI by addressing gaps concerning "forgotten" participants, such as non-lead users and less direct interactions, while contributing a theoretical framework that maps human-robot relationships across service, street life, and public discourse ecologies. Methodologically, the work refines tools like the Attitudes towards Social Robots (ASOR) scale and offers practical insights for studying commercial robots in real-world contexts. Based on the experience of conducting the project, I argue future research should expand on these findings by examining the perspectives of more socioeconomically diverse groups and considering the broader socio-economic implications of robot deployment, including labor displacement and automation’s impact on precarious workers. As sidewalk robots scale globally, the need for ethically grounded and socially inclusive research becomes even more urgent. This thesis provides a snapshot of a rapidly evolving field, laying the groundwork for understanding the dynamic roles and meanings of robots in urban life.