Robots in Retail

The goal of this project is to explore how robots can be used in retail spaces to assist shoppers, especially those that may have visual or mobility impairments. Through discussion with our certified mobility and orientation specialist collaborator, we discovered many misconceptions surrounding the blind and visually impaired (BVI) population. These misconceptions drive misinformed research into robotic assistants that are misaligned with the unmet needs of the BVI population and are an inefficient use of precious resources. Our current work discusses these misconceptions as well as the potential for service robots to cause stigma.