Robot rescue! An HRI engineering outreach activity

Summary form only given. This video is an example of an engineering outreach activity that we designed to illustrate some of the core issues in HRI research. High school students attending the University of Washington 2009 Summer Math Academy were given a disaster scenario and were asked think about how a robot could help a victim who was trapped by fallen rubble during an earthquake. Students were led through a series of thought questions that encouraged them to consider the type of information the robot would need to give to the victim, the victim's family, and the rescue team. They also considered how a victim might respond to a robot, and the behaviors the robot should display during the rescue. The students then created a script for the rescue scenario, writing not only their own lines, but the behavior and communication of the robot as well. All relevant consent forms were obtained from the participants prior to the outreach event.