BioRob 2024 Workshop

The workshop addressed the challenges of designing human-technology interaction applications by engaging participants in co-creation methods. Its goal was to sensitize BIOROB researchers to the psychological and emotional impact of the technology they were developing while maintaining a focus on technical challenges and embracing the advantages of interdisciplinary collaboration. Drawing on findings from current research, the workshop emphasized the importance of human-centered design, guiding participants through diverging and convergent thinking within the problem and solution spaces of the Double-Diamond model.

Talks linked literature-based frameworks with tangible examples to help participants better understand key factors in co-creating human-technology interactions, such as body-worn devices. By examining the physical, cognitive, and emotional impacts of these technologies, the workshop explored embodied perceptions of exoskeletons, emphasizing their corporeal dimensions. Discussions covered study results showing how Embodied Digital Technologies shape social perceptions of warmth and competence and addressed the challenges of transferring IoT technologies from research to desirable products.

From theory to practice, participants actively engaged in co-creation exercises. Working alongside experts—including end-users and psychologists—they applied selected tools and techniques, such as journey maps and personas, to empathize with end-users and gain deeper insights into their needs. The workshop culminated in a rapid prototyping session, where participants co-created potential solutions. By prioritizing the process over the final design, the workshop highlighted the value of interdisciplinary research and co-creation practices in shaping innovative applications that truly resonated with end-users.

In this workshop, participants collaborated to explore innovative solutions aimed at improving caregivers' daily work experiences. As the demand for efficient and compassionate caregiving continued to grow, addressing the physical and emotional challenges caregivers faced was essential. By empathizing with their day-to-day experiences and identifying key pain points, participants worked to design supportive technology that not only alleviated the physical demands of caregiving but also promoted better health and job satisfaction. 

Impact of bionic devices on self- and other-perception: The user perspective
by Maximilian Bretschneider (TU Chemnitz, Professorships for Work, Organizational, and Economic Psychology and Social Psychology). 

The talk discusses questions about societal attitudes on embracing Embodied Digital Technologies (EDTs). Results of semi-structured interviews with bionic prosthesis users suggest that the technicity of EDTs shapes social perceptions of warmth and competence (Stereotype Content Model).

TBD
by J. Micah Prendergast and Deborah Forster (TU Delft, Department of Cognitive Robotics | FRAIM)

Corporeal Dimensions of Human-Exoskeleton Experience
by Emese Papp-Schmitt  (suitX by Ottobock | TU Dresden, Chair of Industrial Design Engineering)

Her talk focuses on the human exoskeleton experience, emphasizing its corporeal dimensions. It presents the results of semi-structured interviews with exoskeleton users in automotive assembly and warehouse logistics, utilizing the established framework of user experience and the concept of body experience.

From Viability to Lovability: A Paradigm Shift for Successful Market Entrance
by Lisa-Marie Lüneburg (veiio | TU Dresden, Chair of Industrial Design Engineering)

The fourth input talk explores how to commercialize research results. Traditional MVP falls often short; university spin-offs are vital for research, but the "valley of death" looms due to misjudging markets. Therefore, going beyond viability to lovability is key to turn innovation into an engaging experience that meets market needs effectively.