You and your robot companion — A framework for creating robotic applications usable by non-experts

In this paper we present a system for all and sundry to create robotic applications which is characterized by adaptivity on different levels. First, users are enabled to create their own applications (e.g. play a card game with robot) by the usage of a decision making framework for robot companions. Second, within a created application the robot itself adapts its behavior via user feedback based on a decision making algorithm (e.g. teach the robot a card game based on user feedback). In dependency of the user´s expertise, he or she has different possibilities of enhancing the robot´s capabilities. Especially for the non-expert user a tool has been developed which provides a graphical user interface to configure applications. The usability of the tool has been evaluated with 5 participants of the age group 40+. The results show that the technical requirements to include non-experts are fulfilled by the framework but also reveal ways to improve the tool, such as the placement of the assistance mechanisms offered to the user.