Rodrigues, Patrick Borges (2025) A user-centered framework for designing sensory-enhanced teleoperation interfaces for construction robots. PhD thesis, University of Southern California, USA.
Abstract
Current trends in the construction industry show increasing interest in teleoperated and autonomous robotic systems, which aim to improve worker safety as well as enhance task precision, performance, and work quality. However, many human-robot interfaces in construction remain technology-centered rather than user-centered. Multiple reviews in human-robot interaction for construction have highlighted the need for more human-centered designs, particularly in the development of user interfaces that enable effective interaction between humans and robots. In this dissertation, we propose and validate a new framework for user-centered design of teleoperation interfaces. We selected demolition as the use case, building on our team’s successful prior collaborations with stakeholders in the demolition industry. In an initial exploratory study, we assessed the effects of specific user-centered interface features, such as selective sound attenuation, on operators’ performance, safety, and physiological responses, including stress, attention, and task engagement (Chapter 3). Results from this study indicated that better tailoring of interface features to end-user needs can significantly improve overall conditions for demolition operations. These findings motivated us to further explore how to address the sensory needs of demolition operators transitioning from traditional manned and remotely operated demolition machines to fully teleoperated systems. We conducted a series of focus group interviews with demolition professionals to better understand their sensory needs in traditional demolition tasks and to identify potential sensory features for teleoperation interfaces (Chapter 4). Insights from these interactions informed the design of a sensory-enhanced teleoperation interface (Chapter 5), which was compared to a standard teleoperation interface based on conventional designs used in current construction teleoperation systems (Chapter 6). This comparison aims to validate our proposed framework, which emphasizes early end-user engagement to identify critical sensory needs and incorporate design features that enhance safety and operational performance. The broader implications of this work are expected to inform the design of teleoperation interfaces for other applications in construction, with potential impacts on usability, safety, and operational performance as perceived by end users.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Soibelman, Lucio and Becerik-Gerber, Burcin |
| Index terms: | interaction, interview, collaboration, dissertation, user-centred design, user interface, construction industry, user need, exploratory study, focus group, user engagement, end user, usability |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, management, research methods, user-centered design, user-centred design, design methods, behavioral psychology, stakeholder, research dissemination and communication, human-computer interaction, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Roles and Professions, Design Practice, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here