From “skype on wheels” to embodied telepresence: a holistic approach to improving the user experience of telepresence robots

Telepresence robots offer the promise of remote presence, but user experience, usability, and performance challenges hinder widespread adoption. This study introduces a novel and low-cost user interface for telepresence robots that integrates insights from virtual reality (VR) and robotics to address these limitations. The novel setup was designed holistically, considering several different factors: an inclined rotating chair for embodied rotation, a joystick for precise translation, dual displays for enhanced spatial awareness, and an immersive setup with controlled lighting and audio. A user study (N = 42) with a simulated robot in a virtual environment compared this novel setup with a standard setup, that mimicked the typical user interface of commercial telepresence robots. Results showed that this novel setup significantly improved the user experience, particularly increasing presence, enjoyment, and engagement. This novel setup also improved task performance over time, reducing obstacle collisions and distance traveled. These findings highlight the potential for combining and incorporating insights from VR and robotics to design more effective and user-friendly interfaces for telepresence robots, paving the way for increased adoption.