Blog robot: a new style for accessing location-based contents

ABSTRACT

We propose a portable robot named "Blog Robot" which presents blog contents by using verbal and non-verbal expression. Blog Robot is a robotized smart-phone which has a head and arms for making hand gestures, eye contact, and joint attention. The blog is widely used to express personal views or to record daily occurrences. One of the information frequently posted on the blog is related to a certain place such as a tourist site or a shop. Meanwhile, people sit down in front of their PC and check blogs through the text and the image displayed on the Web browser. However, their style of checking the blogs is not good way for them to realize the authentic situations which blog writers let them know. The user carries Blog Robot like cellular phone and can browse blogs related to the location where user is. The browse method makes the user access the blog at the real scene related to the contents of the blog. Blog Robot gives her/him the content of the blog by reading it with synthesized speech. In particular, the nonverbal information generated by Blog Robot enhances the read information as if the blog writer is next her/him while telling her/him it. The browse method is expected to enable the user to obtain more realistic information than the Web browser on the PC.

Moreover, it enables the user shares the information with the blog writer. In addition, since the browse through Blog Robot is performed at the location that the blog writer once visited, the blog writer has proper feedback from the user. It is difficult for the blog writer to obtain the same feedback from the user who sits in front of her/his PC because she/he is not there. We have also designed tags specific to generating the nonverbal expression of Blog Robot and the tags are embedded within the text in the blog. The tags can be used not only for Blog Robot but also for the PC. If the user checks the blog including the tags, they are displayed as icon on the Web browser.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)
          Subjects: Prototyping

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.4 INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS
      H.4.3 Communications Applications
          Subjects: Information browsers

General Terms:
Design

Keywords:
agent presentation, human robot interaction, information revitalization, web contents