From Terrain to Wind Noise: Contextual Factors Shaping Outdoor Robot Guide Design for Visually Impaired People

This research explores requirements for robot guides to support Blind and Visually Impaired People (BVIP) in outdoor environments, focussing on improving safety, independence, and accessibility. In-depth interviews with BVIP and carers provide lived experiences, and a qualitative observational study highlight practical challenges in outdoor navigation. These reveal often overlooked environmental factors in the design of robot guides. We examine key specifications of existing quadruped robotic platforms to understand their ability to navigate and guide outdoors. Although several commercially available robots demonstrate functional capabilities, our findings identify a range of complex contextual and user-specific requirements that shape what reliable guidance must accommodate across diverse terrains and contexts. The study highlights the need for more inclusive approaches, considering issues such as information overload, environmental noise, and variability in needs. The interview data emphasise the importance of co-design and participatory methods, informing contextual, organisational, and technological requirements for future robot guide development.