As a young and inherently interdisciplinary field, Human–Robot Interaction (HRI) shows evidence of multiple, competing and complementary epistemologies and methodologies. However, it is clear that HRI user studies are a valued, primary form of knowledge generation. How might this influence, and be influenced by choice of experimental robot platform? Once a clear, common platform of choice, the number of HRI conference papers detailing work utilising the NAO robot has consistently declined since 2015. We take this opportunity to present quantitative and qualitative data regarding the evolving use and role of the NAO robot in establishing what makes ‘good science’ in HRI, and to reflect on what this might mean for, and can tell us about, the field more broadly. We suggest that shared use of a common platform like NAO is emblematic of, and important for, the field’s attempts to stabilise. Access to a common platform supports sharing of knowledge and practices amongst researchers in the field, whilst at the same time produces a set of assumptions about what makes for (seemingly) scientific HRI knowledge, practice or ‘lore’ that will continue to shape the future of the field—even beyond the platform’s demise.

This paper emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in exploring the concept of robot gender within Human-Robot Interaction (HRI). It draws on a case study of the authors' own collaboration, where interdisciplinary discussions on the nature of gender informed the design of a multimethod study. This approach allowed us to avoid assigning a binary gender to Pepper robot, while still encouraging participants to reflect on their own gendering practices during interactions with robots. Additionally, we invite readers to consider alternative ways of conceptualizing robot gender in HRI—specifically, as fluid and performative rather than binary, which relies on stereotypical cues. After describing how our discussions on gender influenced and reshaped the study design, we offer practical advice on fostering interdisciplinary collaborations. These suggestions focus on communication strategies, mindset, and the practical setup of collaborative studies. We hope that these recommendations will inspire other researchers to continue exploring new and interdisciplinary ways of approaching robot gender in HRI.

Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) is inherently a human-centric field of technology. The role of feminist theories in related fields (e.g. Human-Computer Interaction, Data Science) are taken as a starting point to present a vision for Feminist HRI which can support better, more ethical HRI practice everyday, as well as a more activist research and design stance. We first define feminist design for an HRI audience and use a set of feminist principles from neighboring fields to examine existent HRI literature, showing the progress that has been made already alongside some additional potential ways forward. Following this we identify a set of reflexive questions to be posed throughout the HRI design, research and development pipeline, encouraging a sensitivity to power and to individuals' goals and values. Importantly, we do not look to present a definitive, fixed notion of Feminist HRI, but rather demonstrate the ways in which bringing feminist principles to our field can lead to better, more ethical HRI, and to discuss how we, the HRI community, might do this in practice.

Domestic robots are already commonplace in many homes, while humanoid companion robots like Pepper are increasingly becoming part of different kinds of care work. Drawing on fieldwork at a robotics lab, as well as our personal encounters with domestic robots, we use here the metaphor of “hard-to-reach corners” to explore the socio-technical limitations of companion robots and our differing abilities to respond to these limitations. This article presents “hard-to-reach-corners” as a problematic for design interaction, offering them as an opportunity for thinking about context and intersectional aspects of adaptation.

The challenge of how cities can be designed and developed in an inclusive and sustainable direction is monumental. Smart city technologies currently offer the most promising solution for long-term sustainability. However, smart city projects have been criticised for ignoring diverse needs of the local population and increasing social divides. A sustainable urban environment depends as much on creating an inclusive space that is safe, accessible and comfortable for a diverse group of citizens as it does on deploying “smart” technologies for energy efficiency or environmental protection. This is because citizens will be more likely to adopt technologies promoting sustainability if they are well-aligned with their lived needs and experiences. In this paper, we present the rationale behind an ongoing interdisciplinary research project that aims to address exactly the problem outlined above by using a participatory design approach. Focusing on a smart city test site in Sweden where sensors are currently being deployed to collect data on noise, particles, vehicle numbers and types (amongst other), the goal is to bring local residents and government representatives into dialogue with technical developers by adopting a “meet-in-the-middle” approach. This paper comprises a brief presentation of early findings and a reflection on this approach.