CHS: Medium: Improving Distributed Teamwork Through Mobile Robotic Telepresence Systems

CHS：中：通过移动机器人远程呈现系统改善分布式团队合作

基本信息

批准号：
1563705
负责人：
Susan Fussell
金额：
$ 120万
依托单位：
Cornell University
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Continuing Grant
财政年份：
2016
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2016-07-01 至 2021-06-30
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1563705&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
CHS Medium Improving Distributed Teamwork

项目摘要

This research systematically investigates the impact of specific Mobile Robotic Presence (MRP) system features on formal and informal collaboration across different levels of analysis, including teamwork, informal communication, and the social network structure of an organization. MRP systems are audio and video conferencing systems mounted on a mobile base, operated by someone a distance away from the location, and often serving as a surrogate for people who cannot travel there, for any of a number of reasons. Geographically distributed teams and organizations have been shown to suffer in comparison to those that are collocated, in part because conventional computer-mediated communication tools fail to support both formal meetings and informal interactions during activities like walking the hallway or waiting for the elevator that help build work relationships and provide valuable information about the organizational. MRP systems are a promising new technology for distributed teamwork because they can support both formal and informal workplace interactions. The project will develop new tools and knowledge for communication across geographic distance that will be made widely available to the research community and general public. It will also enhance education through graduate student training and the development of new classroom tools, curriculum, and diversity outreach efforts. Specifically, the project aims to: (a) develop a systematic understanding of the effects of telepresence robots on formal and informal workplace communication through a series of lab and field studies; (b) develop and evaluate a set of interface and control techniques that improve informal and formal communication; (c) examine how the introduction of MRPs into an organization influences the structure of its social network using social network analysis; and (d) integrate the techniques and findings at the interface, team and organizational levels through a set of field studies. The research will contribute to the fields of computer-mediated communication and computer-supported cooperative work by developing new theories and understandings of how people interact via telepresence robots in both formal group meetings and informal interactions. It will contribute to human-computer interaction, robotics, and related fields through the development of new techniques and tools for interacting with and through telepresence robots. It will contribute to theories of how distance affects organizational structure by exploring the network-level effects of working remotely via MRPs vs. conventional computer-mediated communication tools. Finally, the project will help build new understandings of the relationships among individual features of MRP technology, the usefulness of that technology for distributed collaboration, and its effects on organizational structure.

这项研究系统地研究了特定的移动机器人存在（MRP）系统特征对不同分析层面的正式和非正式协作的影响，包括团队合作，非正式沟通和组织的社交网络结构。 MRP系统是安装在移动基础上的音频和视频会议系统，该系统由某人距离该位置有距离，并且通常是由于多种原因而成为无法旅行的人的代理人。与与之共处的团队相比，地理分布式的团队和组织被证明是遭受的，部分原因是传统的计算机介导的交流工具无法支持正式会议和非正式的活动，例如走廊上走廊或等待有助于建立工作关系并提供有关组织的有价值信息的电梯。 MRP系统是一项有希望的新技术用于分布式团队合作，因为它们可以支持正式和非正式的工作场所互动。该项目将开发新的工具和知识，以跨地理距离进行交流，并将为研究社区和公众广泛使用。它还将通过研究生培训以及开发新的课堂工具，课程和多样性外展工作来增强教育。具体而言，该项目的目的是：（a）通过一系列实验室和现场研究对远程呈现机器人对正式和非正式工作场所沟通的影响进行系统的了解；（b）开发和评估一组界面和控制技术，以改善非正式和正式的沟通；（c）使用社交网络分析研究将MRP引入组织如何影响其社交网络的结构；（d）通过一系列现场研究在界面，团队和组织级别上整合技术和发现。这项研究将通过在正式的小组会议和非正式互动中开发新的理论和对人们如何通过远程互动机器人进行互动的理解，从而有助于计算机介导的通信和计算机支持的合作工作。它将通过开发新技术和工具与触觉机器人进行交互，从而为人类计算机的互动，机器人技术和相关领域做出贡献。它将通过通过MRP与传统的计算机介导的通信工具探索远程工作的网络级别效果来促进距离如何影响组织结构的理论。最后，该项目将有助于建立对MRP技术各个特征之间关系的新理解，该技术对分布式协作的有用性及其对组织结构的影响。