Participant Information
1. What does my participation involve?
You are invited to take part in this research project, which is called “Reactions to Autonomous Robots in Public.” You have been invited because you visited Federation Square/ACMI on Wednesday February 22 and interacted with Spot.
This Information page tells you about the research project. It explains the processes involved with taking part. Knowing what is involved will help you decide if you want to take part in the research.
Please read this information carefully. You can contact us by email to ask questions about anything that you don’t understand or want to know more about. Before deciding whether to take part, you might want to talk about it with a relative or friend.
Participation in this research is voluntary. If you don’t wish to take part, you don’t have to.
If you decide you want to take part in the research project, you should download the full form here and sign the consent sheet. By signing it you are telling us that you:
- Understand what you have read
- Consent to take part in the research project
2. What is the purpose of this research?
Robots are found in factories, building, delivery services and in medical treatment. Many people have drones, which are a type of robot, for fun or to use at work. As robot use increases we are interested in how people respond to them when they come across them in a public setting. Not much is known about how the general public feels about robots and what it is like to be around them.
This research project explores people’s reactions to one type of robot – “Spot” – as a first step to better using robots to help society. Your participation in this research will help researchers to better design robots and the way they are used at work and in public.
This research is led by RMIT Professor Annette Markham.
This research has been funded by the Victorian government through the Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund.
3. What does participation in this research involve?
You will participate in a single, short (around 30 minute) interview where we invite you to describe and discuss your reactions to encountering the robot in a public setting. You will be asked questions about your thoughts, feelings and responses to seeing and hearing the robot. Your reactions and answers will be recorded using audio and video recordings for researchers to later analyse.
We’ll conduct the interview at RMIT University’s Health Transformations Lab at 155 Pelham Street, Melbourne, 3000 VIC
The interview will be in English.
Before the interview begins, we’ll summarize the information you’re reading now and ask for your signature indicating you understand what is being asked of you and have given your “informed consent.”
4. Other relevant information about the research project
This project involves observing people who encounter the robot as they walk through the physical area of Fed Square / ACMI. We’ll hope to observe around 200 people over a three-hour period. The robot is remote controlled by one of our robot experts on the research team. The RMIT University research team of about 30 researchers is observing and documenting (through photos and videos on their own digital devices or note-taking) the immediate reactions of people as they notice or interact with the robot. The robot is equipped with cameras and also will record video of what it sees. The project also involves chatting informally with people in the moment about their encounter and having follow-up interviews with around 20 people who would like to have a more extended conversation.
We will analyse the recorded materials we’ve gathered to produce some published reports of our findings.
This project is conducted by RMIT University and the team of around 30 researchers includes some PhD students.
5. Do I have to take part in this research project?
Participation in any research project is entirely voluntary. If you do not wish to take part, you do not have to. If you decide to take part and later change your mind, you are free to withdraw from the project by contacting the researchers.
If you do decide to take part, you should download the Participant Information and Consent Form to sign.
Your decision whether to take part or not to take part, or to take part and then withdraw, will not affect your relationship with the researchers or with RMIT University.
Interview
You may stop the interview at any time and on your request, any recordings will be erased and we will not use these materials. You may also refuse to answer any questions that you do not wish to answer during the interview.
6. What are the possible benefits of taking part?
Possible benefits may include helping to better incorporate robots into workplaces and society, so they meet the needs of people and not just solve a work problem. Beyond this, we cannot guarantee or promise that you will receive any benefits from this research; however, you may appreciate contributing to knowledge.
7. What are the risks and disadvantages of taking part?
You may feel that some of the questions we ask are not comfortable for you to answer. If you do not wish to answer a question, you may skip it and go to the next question, or you may stop immediately. If you feel uncomfortable because of your participation in the research project, members of the research team will be able to discuss appropriate support for you.
8. What if I withdraw from this research project?
Even if you do consent to participate, you may withdraw afterwards. If you decide to withdraw from the project, please notify a member of the research team (see email contact below). You may withdraw your contributions from the project up until 30 March 2023. Beyond that time, we will be conducting analysis and your insights will have already contributed to our understanding of this issue. On your request, we will remove any snippet or longer interview recordings or transcripts of interviews from the dataset and discontinue use of this data.
You have the right to have any unprocessed data withdrawn and destroyed. In other words, we will make every effort to delete it, as long as it is identifiable. If it has already been used in publications, we may not be able to erase everything.
9. What happens when the research project ends?
Results of the research will be published in academic journals. If you would like to receive a summary of the results when the research is completed, please indicate in the appropriate place on the consent form.
How is the research project being conducted?
10. What will happen to information about me?
By signing the consent form, you consent to the research team collecting and using information from you for the research project. Any information obtained in connection with this research project that can identify you will remain confidential. It will be securely stored on password protected computers and only accessed by researchers. No personally identifiable information will be associated with images, voice recordings, or transcripts of your interview.
The data will be retained for five (5) years as is required by RMIT Data Management Policy. At the end of this period the data will be destroyed.
Results of this research project may be published and/or presented in such venues as policy reports, academic journals and conferences, or news media outlets. In any publication and/or presentation, information will be provided in such a way that you cannot be identified, except with your express permission. No video recorded data will be published.
In accordance with relevant Australian and/or Victorian privacy and other relevant laws, you have the right to request access to the information about you that is collected and stored by the research team. You also have the right to request that any information collected about you with which you later disagree be corrected. Please inform the research team member named at the end of this document if you would like to access or correct your information.
Any information that you provide can be disclosed only if (1) it is protect you or others from harm, (2) if specifically allowed by law, (3) you provide the researchers with permission. Any information obtained for the purpose of this research project that can identify you will be treated as confidential and securely stored.
11. Who is organising and funding the research?
This research project is being conducted by Professor Annette Markham with funding from the Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund.
12. Who has reviewed the research project?
All research in Australia involving humans is reviewed by an independent group of people called a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC). This research project has been approved by the RMIT University HREC.
This project will be carried out according to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007). This statement has been developed to protect the interests of people who agree to participate in human research studies.
13. Further information and who to contact
If you want any further information concerning this project, you can contact the principal researcher at annette.markham@rmit.edu.au or any of the following people:
Associate Researchers:
| Dr Brad Crammond | brad.crammond@rmit.edu.au |
| Dr Kristen Moeller-Saxone | kristen.moeller-saxone@rmit.edu.au |
| Ms Kelly Chan | kelly.chan@rmit.edu.au |
14. Resources