research-article

Futuristic Autobiographies: Weaving Participant Narratives to Elicit Values around Robots

Authors:

EunJeong Cheon,

Norman Makoto SuAuthors Info & Claims

HRI '18: Proceedings of the 2018 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction

Pages 388 - 397

https://doi.org/10.1145/3171221.3171244

Published: 26 February 2018 Publication History

Abstract

In this paper, we motivate and introduce Futuristic Autobiographies, a method inspired by design fiction for eliciting values and perspectives on the future of technologies from participants such as users, designers, and researchers. Futuristic autobiographies are the creative work of the researchers and participants. Grounded in empirical and background work, researchers pose several stories involving the participant as a character about a future state with robots. Participants are then asked to weave fictional autobiographies to explain what led to this future state. Via a case study in which futuristic autobiographies were used with 23 roboticists, we detail the process involved in developing and implementing this method. When futuristic autobiographies are employed and carefully crafted from background research, they allow informants to speak for themselves on how their practices and values are intertwined now and in the future. We highlight both the benefits and challenges of futuristic autobiographies as a way to elicit rich stories about values. We argue that futuristic autobiographies are a promising addition to the current qualitative methods toolkit used in HRI.

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Cited By

Aranda-Muñoz ÁBozic Yams NCarlgren L(2025)Co-experiential futuring: Where speculative design and arts meet futures studiesFutures10.1016/j.futures.2025.103549166(103549)Online publication date: Feb-2025
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2025.103549
Vetter RDobrosovestnova AFrijns HVogel LBrunnmayr KFrauenberger C(2024)From care practices to speculative vignettes–design considerations for robots in good careFrontiers in Robotics and AI10.3389/frobt.2024.134736711Online publication date: 9-Aug-2024
https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2024.1347367
Muller MWeisz JHoude SRoss S(2024)Drinking Chai with Your (AI) Programming Partner: Value Tensions in the Tokenization of Future Human-AI Collaborative WorkProceedings of the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work10.1145/3663384.3663390(1-15)Online publication date: 25-Jun-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3663384.3663390
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Index Terms

Futuristic Autobiographies: Weaving Participant Narratives to Elicit Values around Robots
1. Human-centered computing
  1. Human computer interaction (HCI)
    1. HCI design and evaluation methods

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cover image ACM Conferences

HRI '18: Proceedings of the 2018 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction

February 2018

468 pages

ISBN:9781450349536

DOI:10.1145/3171221

General Chairs:
Takayuki Kanda
ATR, Japan
,
Selma Ŝabanović
Indiana University Bloomington, USA
,
Program Chairs:
Guy Hoffman
Cornell University, USA
,
Adriana Tapus
ENSTA-ParisTech, France

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Published: 26 February 2018

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HRI '18: ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction

March 5 - 8, 2018

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Overall Acceptance Rate 268 of 1,124 submissions, 24%

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Cited By

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2025.103549
Vetter RDobrosovestnova AFrijns HVogel LBrunnmayr KFrauenberger C(2024)From care practices to speculative vignettes–design considerations for robots in good careFrontiers in Robotics and AI10.3389/frobt.2024.134736711Online publication date: 9-Aug-2024
https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2024.1347367
Muller MWeisz JHoude SRoss S(2024)Drinking Chai with Your (AI) Programming Partner: Value Tensions in the Tokenization of Future Human-AI Collaborative WorkProceedings of the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work10.1145/3663384.3663390(1-15)Online publication date: 25-Jun-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3663384.3663390
Yu XTran TWang YMah KCao YJohansen SJohal WLupetti MRose MRittenbruch MZsolczay RHoggenmüller M(2024)Out of Place Robot in the Wild: Envisioning Urban Robot Contextual Adaptability Challenges Through a Design ProbeExtended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613905.3651002(1-7)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
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Zheng CYuan KGuo BHadi Mogavi RPeng ZMa SMa X(2024)Charting the Future of AI in Project-Based Learning: A Co-Design Exploration with StudentsProceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3642807(1-19)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
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Rubambiza GSengers PWeatherspoon HLiu J(2024)Seam Work and Simulacra of Societal Impact in Networking Research: A Critical Technical Practice ApproachProceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3642337(1-19)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
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Stimson C(2024)Exploring cultural imaginaries of robots with children with brittle bone disease: a participatory design studyMedical Humanities10.1136/medhum-2024-013039(medhum-2024-013039)Online publication date: 19-Dec-2024
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Economidou E(2023)Engaging the General Public in Speculation on Human-Building Interaction Futures at a Pop-up Event: A Design Fiction ApproachProceedings of the 26th International Academic Mindtrek Conference10.1145/3616961.3616966(154-168)Online publication date: 3-Oct-2023
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Wilcox LBrewer RDiaz F(2023)AI Consent Futures: A Case Study on Voice Data Collection with CliniciansProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/36101077:CSCW2(1-30)Online publication date: 4-Oct-2023
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Cheon E(2023)Powerful Futures: How a Big Tech Company Envisions Humans and Technologies in the Workplace of the FutureProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/36101037:CSCW2(1-35)Online publication date: 4-Oct-2023
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