Exploring cultural imaginaries of robots with children with brittle bone disease: a participatory design study

A symbiotic relationship exists between narrative imaginaries of and real-life advancements in technology. Such cultural imaginings have a powerful influence on our understanding of the potential that technology has to affect our lives; as a result, narrative-based approaches to participatory design (PD) of technology are an active area of investigation. In this ongoing study, the following research questions are addressed: how can PD be optimised for the fields of robotics and assistive technology, particularly with regard to fostering empowerment and eliciting how people imagine the role of technology in their own futures? How can the symbiotic relationship between (popular) cultural imaginaries and real-life technological advancements be acknowledged within the PD process? The study synthesises fictional inquiry and science fiction prototyping methodologies and processes over multiple workshops. Its aim is to explore and develop conceptions of robotics and assistive technology of children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI, commonly known as brittle bone disease) and their families, as these populations are under-represented in collaborative research and stand to benefit from future robotics development. Narrative-based approaches are complemented by participants’ direct interaction with contemporary robots during each workshop and a ‘robot home visit’ to unite experiential understandings of robots and their current capabilities with possible futures, as well as foster mutual learning between stakeholders and designers. The study deploys a mixed methods research design with a critical posthumanist theoretical lens. This inclusive co-designed methodology should establish a rich, nuanced picture of how people currently imagine robots in their future and facilitate all involved to deepen these conceptions. It is anticipated that everyone taking part will empower themselves to imagine fully the range of possibilities in their own personal futures in our increasingly technologised world.