We propose that Christopher Alexander's idea of design patterns can benefit the emerging field of HRI. We first discuss four features of design patterns that appear particularly useful. For example, a pattern should be specified abstractly enough such that many different instantiations of the pattern can be uniquely realized in the solution to specific problems in context. Then, after describing our method for generating patterns, we offer and describe eight possible design patterns for sociality in human robot interaction: initial introduction, didactic communication, in motion together, personal interests and history, recovering from mistakes, reciprocal turn-taking in game context, physical intimacy, and claiming unfair treatment or wrongful harms. We also discuss the issue of validation of design patterns. If a design pattern program proves successful, it will provide HRI researchers with basic knowledge about human robot interaction, and save time through the reuse of patterns to achieve high levels of sociality.

No abstract

Abstract.Research has demonstrated that information workers often manage several different computing devices in an effort to balance convenience, mobility, input efficiency, and content readability throughout their day. The high portability of the mobile phone has made it an increasingly valuable member of this ecosystem of devices. To understand how future technologies might better support productivity tasks as people transition between devices, we examined the mobile phone and PC usage patterns of sixteen information workers across several weeks. Our data logs, together with follow-up interview feedback from four of the participants, confirm that the phone is highly leveraged for digital information needs beyond calls and SMS, but suggest that these users do not currently traverse the device boundary within a given task.

____________________________________________________________Current approaches to accessible computing share a common goal of making technology accessible to users with disabilities. Perhaps because of this goal, they may also share a tendency to centralize disability rather than ability. We present a refinement to these approaches called ability-based design that consists of focusing on ability throughout the design process in an effort to create systems that leverage the full range of human potential. Just as user-centered design shifted the focus of interactive system design from systems to users, ability-based design attempts to shift the focus of accessible design from disability to ability. Although prior approaches to accessible computing may consider users' abilities to some extent, ability-based design makes ability its central focus. We offer seven ability-based design principles and describe the projects that inspired their formulation. We also present a research agenda for ability-based design.