Comparison of User Interface Paradigms for Assistive Robotic Manipulators

This paper presents the results of a within-subjects user study with 27 participants over the age of 60, comparing the use of two different user interfaces for an assistive robot scooter. The graphical user interface (GUI) shows a representation of the environment on a 10-inch touchscreen. The tangible user interface (TUI) consists of a joystick, a box of buttons, and a projector - designed to keep the user's attention in the real world. Trends suggest that the TUI could help mitigate difficulty caused by highly cluttered environments, as well as differences in individual spatial reasoning ability, but additional studies are needed.