HRI studies in a Middle Eastern environment are subject to nuances and subtleties. This study explores the nature of interactions, in an uncontrolled environment, between a permanently deployed bi-lingual robot-receptionist and interlocutors of varied native tongues. We correlate an interlocutor's native language with their propensity for accepting an invite and the duration of the ensuing conversation. Subsequently, we present results that demonstrate significant disparity in interactional patterns between English and Arabic speakers. We also assess the importance of a transliterated Arabic input mode for encouraging user interaction.

Hala is a bilingual (Arabic and English) culturally-sensitive robot receptionist located at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. We report results from Hala's deployment by comparing her English dialogue corpus to that of a similar monolingual robot (named "Tank") located at CMU's Pittsburgh campus. Specifically, we compare the average number of turns per interaction, duration of interactions, frequency of interactions with personal questions, rate of non-understandings, and rate of thanks after the robot's answer. We provide possible explanations for observed similarities and differences and highlight potential cultural implications on the interactions.

This work advances the state-of-the-art in assistive technology for the visually impaired by enhancing an automated tutor designed to teach beginner-level braille writing skills. The hardware component of the tutor is a low-cost device that provides an intelligent tactile interface that connects to a laptop or desktop computer. We demonstrate the many uses of this tutor including its multilingual capabilities, interactive exercises, and educational games. Preliminary field tests of the tutor in India, Zambia, and Qatar have demonstrated the usefulness of this automated tutor, and its potential to enhance braille literacy in developing regions.