This project’s goal was to find a new design space for the Starship robots on Purdue’s campus. Currently, the only purpose for these devices is to deliver food items to students who live on campus. Based on our gathered data, my group and I implemented these Starships into the BGR events in order to use them as a tool that would form human-to-human connections. The students will participate in a campus-wide game and compete for rewards among the various BGR groups/teams. Prior to this proposal, BGR events often did not do well enough at connecting students beyond the week-long event. We aim to solve this issue using the Starships. The ideal outcome of this process is that the students will make friendships and connections during the game and carry the experience with them through their freshman year or even further.
We conducted a series of interviews as the first initiative to determine the consensus of Starship robots at Purdue. To collect the most accurate data on their experience with the robot, we specifically interviewed people with previous experience using Starships to order food. Each team member conducted an interview with Purdue students and collectively analyzed the data to pinpoint the main ideas and problems that emerged from using Starships.
Before our individual interviews, we brainstormed important questions we wanted our interviewee to answer. We wanted students to share any pain points that emerged from using Starships or interacting with them on campus, thus including questions that made users evaluate their time using Starships for delivery. We also framed our questions as open-ended so that our interviewee could share their personal thoughts and experiences with the robot.
To allow interviewees to feel safe and comfortably share their experience on Starships, we assured the confidentiality of their information. We received consent to use and record the information they’ve provided for our project. We also emphasized that all answers are welcome, and they are free to provide any information they wish or none at all. Finally, we made sure not to take too much of their time and conducted the interview so it could be finished within 10 minutes.
After our user interviews, we conducted online research to gain a more extensive knowledge of problems surrounding Starships and other AI delivery systems worldwide. Each team member came up with two online articles that discuss the current use of the robot delivery system and how it fails or lives up to societal expectations. Afterward, we would come together and evaluate the overarching trends in AI delivery services.
Avery Dellinger
Article 1: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2021/11/05/the-future-of-delivery-robots/?sh=63a807f37337
Article 2: https://cmr.berkeley.edu/2022/04/self-driving-robots-a-revolution-in-the-local-delivery/
Summary:
The first article that I chose to look into was an article from Forbes which highlights how the starships since their launch have grown increasingly adapt through the use of machine learning to become safer, smarter, and overall more efficient. It also makes sure to mention how delivery robots can affect human jobs but Starship is confident that it will make more jobs than it eliminates and it wants to add to the value chain other than taking away. The second article I chose to look into was an article by the California Management Review, they describe the Starship as the revolution of local delivery relating it to some of the big companies such as Uber or Amazon and how other companies have been turning to robot delivery. This article touches on regulations, along with the presence of accidents and theft, and the business model. some of my key takeaways from those sections would be that "In 2017, San Francisco banned delivery robots from sidewalks and subsequently allowed them to operate in certain areas." these bans and the fact that there are no consistent regulations worldwide on delivery robots.
Overall Summary:
Our articles share insights on the current state of autonomous delivery robots in society and the challenges they face. Some overlapping themes among our articles are that Starships and automotive delivery services are revolutionizing the delivery industry and that they have the potential to provide more for both customers and clients. Unfortunately, they face real-world problems, such as the lack of security measures and the potential to be a hazard on the road. Due to these uncertainties, there are still many doubts about the practicability of these robots legally and culturally. Authors of our articles thus point out there is still a lot of room for improvement for these systems to be fully incorporated into our society, but the potential is clear. Many recognize this potential in robot delivery and are pushing for testing in multiple areas worldwide. A unique finding that could benefit our design process down the road was the robots’ potential to have different characters to appeal to a wide variety of populations. They can be decorated and programmed to perform tricks and have cute looks to make their presence on the street more desirable and approachable to people.