There is growing interest in psychological interventions using socially assistive robots to mitigate distress and pain in the pediatric population. This work seeks to address the deficit in understanding of what features and functionality young children and their parents desire to help with pain management by using co-design, a common approach to exploring participants' imaginations and gathering design requirements. To close this gap, we carried out a co-design workshop involving seven families (with children aged between 4–6 and their parents) to understand their expectations and design preferences for a robot designed for pain management in children. Data were collected from surveys, video and audio recordings, interviews, and field notes. We present the robot prototypes constructed during the workshops and derive several preferences of the children (e.g, zoomorphic shape, distractors and emotional expressions as behaviors). Additionally, we report methodological insights regarding the involvement of young children and their parents in the co-design process. Based on the findings of this co-design study, we discuss personalization as a possible design concept for future child-robot interaction development.

Our university offers an IT-based design programme, with an engineering background in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Its focus on design and creativity, as well as the diversity of the students, requires an approach in informatics courses different from classical computer science programmes. While tinkering is an increasingly popular approach in STEM stimulation and education outside university, we argue that also in an academic setting a tinkering mindset has a relevant contribution. In this paper, we identify key elements in setting up tinkering sessions and report on their implementation for a course on algorithms. We will present and discuss results and observations of our teaching method, that are promising to continue and extend the tinkering approach in an academic setting

Awe is a heightened emotional state of fear and wonder that creates a physiological response resulting in a cascade of hairs standing on end, also known as piloerection or goose-bumps. This latent sense once served an animalian purpose of survival, but now lies dormant and is often not experienced consciously. In fact, 55 percent of the population reports to not feel this sensation that is noted to be healthy. The AWE Goosebumps artifact is an emotion prosthesis that animates the latent sensation of awe for embodiment and externalizes cues for communication. As the sensation is not experienced consciously, the techno fashion invites an opportunity to be a second skin for frisson biofeedback, behavior training, and expression to others as a tool to transform the doldrums of modern day to performative states of wonder.

Awe is a powerful, visceral sensation described as a sudden chill or shudder accompanied by goosebumps. People feel awe in the face of extraordinary experiences: the sublimity of nature, the beauty of art and music, the adrenaline rush of fear. Awe is healthy, both physically and mentally. It can be shared by people who are witnessing the same phenomenon, but traditionally it cannot be communicated remotely across time or distance: to feel awe involves real time experience, and explaining the experience that gave rise to it does not always induce the feeling of awe itself. We want to make this sensation something that can be transmitted, and therefore present AWElectric, a wearable interface that can detect awe, enhance it, and create it in another person. Our shared goosebump design embeds inflatable biometric displays in 3D print fabric.The AudioTactile fabric transmits an awe-inducing sound frequency to the partner that physically manifests the tingles, chills, and goosebumps that awe provokes.

In the Interactive Inflatables studio, participants will create bio-responsive inflatable structures to amplify human behaviors. Methods to concept and craft unique expansive designs will be taught. The interactive inflatable structures will respond to special and biological sensors. The studio is organized in stages and will involve and introduction of materials and media, concept generation, hands on making within partners, and a display of new tangible embedded and embodied interfaces.

This paper discusses the design of a vehicle for in-pipe inspection using omnidirectional wheels and active stabilizing control. A novel propulsion mechanism is discussed using omnidirectional wheels (or omni-wheels) is presented which allows direct control of the orientation in the pipe. This paper will show the development and evaluation of a prototype model. Rapid prototyping techniques have been used in this proof-of-principle.

This video shows the design of a mechanical structure of a miniature pipe inspection robot (MPR) capable of moving trough very small pipes (up to 41 mm inner diameter) as well as a wide range of diameters (63 to 125 mm outer diameter). The requirement to negotiate bends, T-joints and steep inclinations pose another set of strict design constraints. In this video the controlled robot is shown in action.

This paper discusses the design of a mechanical structure of a miniature pipe inspection robot capable of moving through very small pipes (down to 41 mm inner diameter). The requirement to negotiate bends, T-joints and steep inclinations pose another set of strict design constraints. The proposed robot consists of a modular design (7 modules) with a relatively low number of active degrees of freedom. The system is using a novel clamping mechanism with a series-elastic drive. The design of this mechanism has resulted in a high spreading factor allowing the system to operate in a wide diameter range (63 mm to 125 mm outer diameter). In this paper the mechanical design requirements and control system will be discussed. Preliminary test results will be given.