Engaging Citizens in Robot Dog Interaction in Smart Cities: Perceptions in Public Spaces

As social robots become increasingly integrated into public life, it is important to understand how citizens interact with them in everyday settings. We conducted a mixed-methods study on human-robot interaction when encountering robot dogs in urban contexts, combining an online survey (n = 100) with field interviews (n = 21) in six public locations. Participatory design was used to incorporate citizen feedback into the development and interpretation of scenarios. Acceptance of robot dogs varied significantly across contexts: they were more accepted in practical and open spaces, e.g., shopping malls and rural trails, and less in intimate or cultural public contexts. Participants imagined roles such as security, navigation, and cleaning. The dog-like form influenced emotional responses, with many people reacting as they would to a real dog. This study contributes to rethinking engagement by demonstrating how participatory, affective, and contextual dimensions intersect in human-robot interaction.