Designing Multispecies Worlds for Robots, Cats, and Humans

Document Title

Designing Multispecies Worlds for Robots, Cats, and Humans

Document Information

• Subject Area: Human-Computer Interaction, Animal-Computer Interaction, Robotic Ecosystem Design
• Keywords: Animal-Computer Interaction, Cross-Species Interaction, Stakeholder Ethics, Autonomous Systems, Domestic Robots, Robotic Ecosystems, Cat Toy Design

Research Background and Problem

• Problem or Challenge: As robots become increasingly prevalent in daily life, they inevitably interact with animals (such as cats, dogs, or wildlife). These interactions may be planned or occur randomly, yet designing robots suitable for animals remains an unresolved challenge. Can robots enrich the lives of animals? Can animals and robots build mutual trust?
• Significance: Beyond focusing on human-robot interaction, research must explore the design of cross-species ecosystems to promote animal welfare, a key goal in the field of Animal-Computer Interaction (ACI). The broader objective is to investigate how to design trustworthy autonomous systems that interact with non-human entities.
• Research Motivation and Related Work: Previous studies have focused on intelligent toys and games for cats, but these are often limited to screen-based interactions or simple feedback mechanisms, failing to delve into the interaction between animals and autonomous physical devices. Additionally, the design challenges of robotic ecosystems have been underexplored in existing research, necessitating broader discussions.

Solution

• Method or Solution:

  1. Proposed and implemented an art-driven research project, “Cat Royale,” which designed a customized ecological space for cats to cohabitate and interact with autonomous robots.
  2. Utilized robotic arms, customized toys, and onboard computer vision systems to provide diverse gaming activities for cats.
  3. Designed the stage as a "cat utopia," carefully tailored to meet the survival and play needs of cats while also engaging human audiences.

• Innovations:

  • Robotic Ecosystems: Moving beyond traditional robot functionality design to expand research into the ecological design of their environments.
  • Cross-Species Interaction: Proposed a framework for trustworthy, animal welfare-centered autonomous system interactions, encompassing temporary and long-term “robot and multispecies worlds.”
  • Integrated Design Approach: Human-robot collaborative design that adapts to dynamic environmental changes, enhancing experiences through an adaptive activity recommendation engine.

• Implementation Steps:

  1. Enclosure Design: Created a structurally elegant and functional enclosed environment, including spaces of varying heights, sightlines, and primary activity zones.
  2. Toys and Interaction Components: Developed end-effectors for robotic control and customized attachments for cat toys.
  3. Autonomous Systems: Integrated computer vision, decision engines, and operational interfaces to design activity recommendations and autonomous robot actions.
  4. Participant Role Allocation: Assigned roles to robot operators, animal welfare experts, and artistic designers for real-time monitoring and intervention in robot-multispecies interactions.

Research Outcomes

• Specific Results:

  • “Cat Royale” facilitated over 500 interactive activities, such as prey games and reward behaviors, successfully engaging three participating cats and maintaining their interest and welfare.
  • The robotic ecosystem preliminarily validated that animals can maintain trust and interaction with robots through intelligent systems and human assistance.
  • Design details revealed the complex environmental coordination factors required for “robotic worlds,” such as the balance between toy controllability and spatial design.

• Advantages Over Existing Solutions:

  • Greater emphasis on spatial planning centered around animal needs and welfare, rather than solely focusing on technical functionality.
  • Human-robot collaborative operation enhanced system safety and interaction effectiveness.
  • Artistic presentation provided public interaction experiences, introducing educational and outreach value.

• Experimental or Evaluation Results:

  • Cats maintained positive interactions with the environment and robot activities, exhibiting natural hunting behaviors.
  • Human audiences showed high interest in the project, with comments, visits, and online engagement data indicating broad public acceptance.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  • Limitations:

    • The implementation cost and scale of Cat Royale make it difficult to directly apply to ordinary households.
    • The participation of only three cats did not sufficiently validate its broader applicability.
    • The gap between public exhibition and long-term household application lacks effective translation.

  • Future Directions:

    • Further expand cross-species ecological research to interactions between other types of animals and devices.
    • Explore designs for smaller-scale domestic robotic ecosystems.
    • Develop diverse robotic management systems that are autonomous yet reliant on human supervision.

Conclusion

The “Cat Royale” project demonstrates how to design cross-species ecosystems, achieving a novel design approach that not only focuses on technology but also considers the physical and social environment of robots. It actively explores how trustworthy autonomous systems can interact with non-human entities. This research provides foundational theories and practical experiences for multispecies interaction system design, emphasizing that design should not only include technological breakthroughs but also address environmental, ethical, and public engagement values.