CollaBot: A Robotic System That Assists Library Users Through Collaboration Between Robots

Abstract

A library serves as a repository of knowledge accessible to individuals of all ages, genders, educational backgrounds, social statuses, and economic levels. It stands as a communal space where community members can gather, bridging information disparities among various societal strata. To enhance accessibility to such libraries for a broader spectrum of people, we have introduced the CollaBot system. This system offers tailored services to users through the collaboration of robots. Our investigation encompassed the acceptance of robot types by users, robot characterization, and the prioritization of robot-provided services. Over the course of three stages of user evaluation, it became evident that participants preferred product-type robots over anthropomorphic robots. Furthermore, they expressed a preference for robots that assist other robots, even if these assisting robots exhibit clumsiness, as opposed to robots that exclusively excel in their designated tasks. Lastly, service prioritization varied based on the specific limitations or deficiencies faced by individual users.