A telepresence robot is a mobile telecommunication device, remotely controlled by its "pilot", which supports an embodied presence of the pilot in a different location (the "local setting"). A common problem with telepresence robots is their limited capability of interacting with the physical environment. A potential solution, explored in the present study, is supporting "double remote control" interaction, that is, making it possible for the pilot, in addition to remotely controlling the robot, to also remotely control objects in the local setting. In the study we enacted meaningful scenarios of employing telepresence robots with and without double remote control capabilities. The evidence collected in the study allows us to tentatively assess the effects of double remote control interaction on user experience and social context. Issues for future research are discussed.

Robotic telepresence technologies are becoming ever more usable and affordable, as well as increasingly available as consumer products. In the coming years, a significant number of people are likely to encounter the technology for the first time, and many, if not most, of them are going to be “non-technical” users, that is, people who do not have special technical knowledge and skills of IT-professionals. Therefore, understanding how nontechnical users are getting familiar with robotic telepresence technology, how they perceive the technology, learn to control it, and relate it to their everyday work practices, is a topical research issue. This paper reports an empirical study, in which eight non-technical users, office workers who were not IT-professionals, were introduced to robotic telepresence and provided with a practical experience of acting as pilots of a remotely controlled robot. In follow up interviews the participants were asked to reflect on potential uses of the technology in their professional activities. The participants could successfully acquire basic navigation skills and reached a high level of spatial presence, but experienced problems with developing a "new body image”. When reflecting on the potential of the technology for supporting their work, the participants envisioned a number of benefits associated with remote physical mobility. The impact of the technology on the quality of workrelated social interactions was expected to be generally positive but somewhat limited.

The general problem addressed in this paper is supporting a more efficient communication between remote users, who control telepresence robots, and people in the local setting. The design of most telepresence robots does not allow them to perform gestures. Given the key role of pointing in human communication, exploring design solutions for providing telepresence robots with deictic gesturing capabilities is, arguably, a timely research issue for Human-Robot Interaction.To address this issue, we conducted an empirical study, in which a set of low fidelity prototypes, illustrating various designs of a robot's gesture arm, were assessed by the participants (N=18). The study employed a mixed-method approach, a combination of a controlled experiment, elicitation study, and design provocation. The evidence collected in the study reveals participants' assessment of the designs, used in the study, and provides insights into participants' attitudes and expectations regarding gestural communication with telepresence robots in general.

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Most robotic telepresence systems are severely limited in their ability to physically interact with surrounding objects. The solution we propose, "double remote control", or DRC, is to make it possible for the user controlling the telepresence robot ("the pilot"), to also remotely control objects in the robot's physical environment. This paper reports a user experience study, comparing a Wizard of Oz-style prototype of a DRC-enabled environment with a control condition, in which DRC was not enabled. The participants, who acted as either remote pilots (N P =16) or local people in the robot's proximity (N LP =16), were asked to carry out joint activities in each of these conditions. It was found that DRC had a generally positive effect on how participants, and especially pilots, performed their tasks, but the impact of DRC on the social context of interaction was mixed. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Human computer interaction (HCI); HCI design and evaluation methods; User studies.