"I can feel the risks by looking at the robot face": Communicating Risk through a Physical Agent

Risk communication is essential for shaping public understanding and encouraging action in response to hazards. We investigate the potential of physical humanlike agents as a novel visualisation interface for risk communication, given their ability to communicate emotion and visually convey information. We first conducted a design workshop with 9 HCI experts to identify challenges, opportunities, and design strategies for using an agent's face as a visualisation canvas. We then conducted a lab study with 28 participants to assess the effectiveness of this interface to visualise the consequences of health risks. Our findings reveal that it facilitates data comprehension, heightens risk perception, elicits empathy, and motivates behavioural change by making the risk relatable and emotionally resonant. We discuss the potential of using these interfaces for risk communication in public spaces, health campaigns, education, and beyond. We provide design considerations, takeaways and future directions for an important pathway of human-centered risk communication.