Goal-Oriented End-User Programming of Robots: Balancing User Control and Robot Autonomy

Core Concepts

Balancing user control with robot autonomy is crucial in goal-oriented end-user programming tools.

Abstract

The content discusses the development of a novel end-user programming system, Polaris, that uses goal predicates as the fundamental building block of programs. Users can express high-level robot objectives or lower-level checkpoints while an off-the-shelf task planner fills in program details. The Plan Visualizer provides feedback to ensure user expectations align with robot behavior. Evaluation results show improved plan quality and user experience.
Abstract:

Goal-oriented end-user programming tools balance user control and robot autonomy.
Polaris uses goal predicates as the fundamental building block of programs.
The Plan Visualizer provides feedback on program details before runtime.
Introduction:

Demand for efficient approaches for users to specify tasks for robots is growing.
End-user programming tools enable users to create and customize robot applications.
Polaris aims to provide flexibility in program specification while leveraging robot autonomy.
Related Work:

Existing EUP tools focus on capturing user intent through various programming environments.
Polaris challenges the action-oriented paradigm by using goal predicates as the building block of programs.
System Design:

Goal automata are transition systems guiding robots in achieving goals during tasks.
Branching plans are created based on goal automata, ensuring actions match developer intent.
The Plan Visualizer allows users to view and interact with the plan in real-time.
System Evaluation:

An experiment compared participants using the Plan Visualizer versus those who did not.
Results showed improved plan quality and marginal effects on satisfaction, usefulness, and perceived competence with the Plan Visualizer.

Stats

Users can express high-level objectives or lower-level checkpoints - Users can leverage robot autonomy - Participants evaluated with 32 human participants

Quotes

"Feedback is critical for goal-oriented EUP."
"Goal-oriented programming allows for greater flexibility but may be challenging in practice."

Key Insights Distilled From

Goal-Oriented End-User Programming of Robots

by David Porfir... at arxiv.org 03-22-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2403.13988.pdf

Deeper Inquiries

How can feedback be effectively integrated into end-user programming tools?

Feedback in end-user programming tools is crucial for helping users understand the impact of their actions and make informed decisions. Here are some ways to effectively integrate feedback:

Real-time Feedback: Provide immediate feedback as users interact with the system, highlighting errors or suggesting improvements as they occur.

Visual Feedback: Use visual cues such as color changes, icons, or animations to indicate success, errors, or progress towards a goal.

Contextual Feedback: Offer feedback that is relevant to the user's current task or context within the programming tool.

Interactive Feedback: Allow users to interact with the feedback provided, enabling them to make adjustments based on the information presented.

Progress Tracking: Display a clear overview of progress made so far and what steps are remaining to achieve a specific goal.

Error Handling Guidance: Provide detailed explanations of errors encountered and suggestions on how to rectify them.

By incorporating these strategies, end-user programming tools can enhance user experience and facilitate more effective programming outcomes.

How can user interfaces be optimized to improve user understanding and utilization of goal predicates?

Transitioning from an action-oriented paradigm to a goal-oriented one may pose challenges for users due to differences in thinking processes required by each approach. To optimize user interfaces for better understanding and utilization of goal predicates:

Clear Visual Representation:

Use intuitive diagrams or flowcharts that visually represent goals and their relationships.
Highlight connections between different goals using colors or shapes for easier comprehension.

Interactive Goal Setting:

Allow users to easily create, modify, connect, and prioritize goals through drag-and-drop functionality.
Provide tooltips or contextual help guides explaining each aspect of setting up goals.

Feedback Mechanisms:

Implement real-time validation checks when creating goals to ensure they align with expected formats.
Show previews or simulations based on entered goals so users can visualize potential outcomes before execution.

Guided Tutorials:

Include step-by-step tutorials within the interface that walk users through creating effective goal automata.
Offer interactive examples showcasing best practices in utilizing goal predicates effectively.

5 . Encourage Experimentation:
Create sandbox environments where users can freely experiment with different combinations of goals without fear of making mistakes.

What are potential challenges users may face when transitioning from an action-oriented paradigmto agoal-oriented one?

Users transitioning from an action-oriented paradigmto agoal-oriented one may encounter several challenges:
1 . Conceptual Shift:
Users accustomedtodefining tasks interms offixed sequencesofactionsmay find it challengingtorethink problems intermsofdesired outcomesorstates (goals).
2 . Complexity:
Defining preciseand unambiguousgoals requires careful thoughtand planning.Usersmay strugglewith breaking down complex tasksinto discrete objectiveswithout explicit guidanceor training.
3 . Conditional Logic:
Understandinghow conditional statements affectthe flowofagoal-based programcanbe dauntingforusers not familiarwith logicallanguage constructs.Usersmust learnhowtoproperly incorporate conditionalsintothegoal automaton structure
4 . Lackof Familiarity:
Userswhohave been workinginaction-driven environmentsfora long time may feel uncomfortableorslowwhen adaptingtoa new wayofprogrammingthat emphasizes high-levelobjectivesover low-levelactions
5 . Error Handling:
Detectingand correctingerrorsinagoal-based systemscanbedifficult,since issuesmay arisefrom incorrectgoal definitions,rather than directmistakesinactionsequencesas typically seeninaction-driven systems