Work

Introducing Robots in a Warehouse: Lessons Learned from a Field Study at a Supermarket Chain

Year: 2025

Type: conference-paper

Abstract: This paper presents a field study conducted in a distribution warehouse of a supermarket chain, Colruyt Group, in Belgium. It focuses on workers’ acceptance of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) with anthropomorphic features. The robots were developed by an on-site technical team, and our research team of social scientists was consulted to explore workers’ perspectives. We compared four versions of the robot (without any features, with a name, with eyes and with a display) using mixed methods, including ethnography, interviews and surveys. Collecting data via periodic surveys proved challenging since the warehouse employees were busy during peak seasons (high workload) and due to technical issues with the robots. These factors necessitated a more flexible approach. Nonetheless, our study provided valuable insights that were considered during the robot implementation. In this case study, we summarise the results, lessons learned, and suggestions that could help navigate future field studies in industrial environments.

Source: Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA)

DOI: 10.1145/3706599.3706668

Authors: Kristýna Sirka Kacafírková, Shirley A. Elprama, Mandy M.J. Wittens, An Jacobs

Institutions: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, IMEC

Language: English

Topic: Social Robot Interaction and HRI

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W4409719841

FWCI:

Cites: 18

Cited by:

Related to: 10