Imagine a city of the near future where robots roam freely. They scoot along smooth footpaths, nimbly avoiding obstacles as they deliver groceries and medicines. They glide through supermarket aisles, detecting spills and mopping them up before anyone can slip. They provide valuable backup support in busy, understaffed restaurants, efficiently taking food to tables of waiting diners.
Robots are already doing these tasks. However, the utopian vision of efficient and problem-free robot helpers is a long way from reality. Recent reports highlight some difficulties: they have had trouble recognising people using wheelchairs on shared footpaths. They have been labelled ‘creepy and useless’, and suspected of following shoppers for unknown reasons. In busy restaurants, they cannot navigate narrow aisles or customers’ bags and coats.
So how can we make the best use of robots in shared urban spaces?
