Title: A situation that we had never imagined: post-Fukushima virtual collaborations for determining robot task metrics

Authors: Michael Vallance; Stewart Martin; Catherine Naamani

Addresses: Department of Media Architecture, Future University Hakodate, 116-2 Kamedanakano, Hakodate, T041-8655, Japan ' Centre for Educational Studies, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, UK ' The Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, South Wales, UK

Abstract: There is no consensus regarding a common set of metrics for robot task complexity in associated human-robot interactions. This paper is an attempt to address this issue by proposing a new metric so that the educational potential when using robots can be further developed. Tasks in which students in Japan and UK interact in a 3D virtual space to collaboratively program robots to navigate mazes have resulted in quantitative data of immersion, circuit task complexity and robot task complexity. The data has subsequently been collated to create a proposed new metric for tasks involving robots, which we have termed task fidelity. The paper proposes that task fidelity is a quantitative measure of a set robot task in relation to a learner's solution. By quantifying task fidelity educators utilising robots in schools and in higher education will be able to provide tasks commensurate with the expected successful outcomes achieved by the learners.

Keywords: architectures; educational technology; classroom teaching; robotics; robot programming; simulation; virtual reality; learning technology; post-Fukushima virtual collaboration; robot task metrics; robot tasks; task complexity; human-robot interaction; HRI; Japan; UK; United Kingdom; robot navigation; maze navigation; schools; higher education; successful outcomes; learner outcomes.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLT.2015.069453

International Journal of Learning Technology, 2015 Vol.10 No.1, pp.30 - 49

Published online: 16 May 2015 *

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