Social Robots for Children with Cancer
How does incorporating affect theory into the design of a telepresence system impact the development of creating a sense of presence over distance for children with cancer and their peers? This question was the foundation of my master’s thesis.
In collaboration with fellow students, I completed my master’s thesis in 2020. Throughout the project, I conducted research, interviews, and user testing while managing the project’s overall planning. Additionally, I led the effort to compare and develop new telepresence and affect theories, aiming to uncover the key factors for designing meaningful experiences for children with cancer.
What Is Affect?
Affect in psychology is described as the underlying experience of mood, feeling or emotion.
Example: I am happy, therefore I feel like playing along.
What is Telepresence?
Telepresence is the ability to connect two or more physical/spiritual places.
Example: My partner called me on the phone during a concert I couldn’t attend, and It almost felt like I was there with him.
The Problem
The treatment of children with cancer is more successful than ever. Advances in technology and medical science have made it possible to detect and treat the illness more effectively. However, this progress often results in children being hospitalized for extended periods, leading to prolonged separation from friends and classmates. These children typically miss 6 to 18 months of school while undergoing treatment.
In recent years, there has been increased focus on mental health within this field, sparking new collaborations aimed at supporting the emotional and mental well-being of children during their treatment.
How We Adressed the Problem
To gain a comprehensive understanding of the children’s situation, we conducted user research by interviewing several experts in the field at Bonkolab (Børneonkologisk Laboratorium). Additionally, we performed user testing in elementary schools to explore how willing children were to support each other in creating successful play experiences through telepresence using robots as avatars.
To address the challenges, we applied methods from design theory, including persona development, emotion-driven design, and cooperative design. By combining these approaches, we aimed to align as closely as possible with the needs of the users, despite not being able to meet them directly.
Discoveries and Conclusions
With a purpose of creating a feeling of closeness between children undergoing treatment and their friends at school, I emphasized the importance of applying affect theory to identify areas for further development that could enhance the effectiveness of telepresence systems. To uncover the children’s needs, I employed design techniques such as personas and emotion-driven design.
By combining Lottridge et al.’s model of affective interaction (2011)* with telepresence theory, I uncovered a new dimension of interaction. This allowed me to identify which environments might enhance or diminish the effectiveness of telepresence on a meta-level, where the interaction itself becomes the connecting property between telepresence devices—such as computers and phones.
This discovery formed the basis of a report I authored, which contributed to the development of Fable Connect. Today, Fable Connect is widely used in schools across Denmark to help bring children together.
*Lottridge, D., Chignell, M., & Jovicic, A. (2011). Affective interaction: Understanding, evaluating, and designing for human emotion. Reviews of Human Factors and Ergonomics.