Stimson Christina E
School of Computer Science, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
Med Humanit. 2025 Jan 2;50(4):705-714. doi: 10.1136/medhum-2024-013039.
A symbiotic relationship exists between narrative imaginaries of and real-life advancements in technology. Such cultural imaginings have a powerful influence on our understanding of the potential that technology has to affect our lives; as a result, narrative-based approaches to (PD) of technology are an active area of investigation.In this ongoing study, the following research questions are addressed: how can PD be optimised for the fields of robotics and assistive technology, particularly with regard to fostering empowerment and eliciting how people imagine the role of technology in their own futures? How can the symbiotic relationship between (popular) cultural imaginaries and real-life technological advancements be acknowledged within the PD process?The study synthesises fictional inquiry and science fiction prototyping methodologies and processes over multiple workshops. Its aim is to explore and develop conceptions of robotics and assistive technology of children with (OI, commonly known as brittle bone disease) and their families, as these populations are under-represented in collaborative research and stand to benefit from future robotics development. Narrative-based approaches are complemented by participants' direct interaction with contemporary robots during each workshop and a 'robot home visit' to unite experiential understandings of robots and their current capabilities with possible futures, as well as foster mutual learning between stakeholders and designers. The study deploys a mixed methods research design with a critical posthumanist theoretical lens.This inclusive co-designed methodology should establish a rich, nuanced picture of how people currently imagine robots in their future and facilitate all involved to deepen these conceptions. It is anticipated that everyone taking part will empower themselves to imagine fully the range of possibilities in their own personal futures in our increasingly technologised world.
技术的叙事想象与现实生活中的进步之间存在着一种共生关系。这种文化想象对我们理解技术影响生活的潜力有着强大的影响；因此，基于叙事的技术（产品设计）方法是一个活跃的研究领域。在这项正在进行的研究中，提出了以下研究问题：如何针对机器人技术和辅助技术领域优化产品设计，特别是在促进赋权以及引出人们如何想象技术在他们自己未来生活中的作用方面？在产品设计过程中，如何认识（大众）文化想象与现实生活中的技术进步之间的共生关系？该研究在多个研讨会上综合了虚构探究和科幻原型制作方法及过程。其目的是探索和发展患有成骨不全症（OI，俗称脆骨病）的儿童及其家庭对机器人技术和辅助技术的概念，因为这些人群在合作研究中代表性不足，并且有望从未来的机器人技术发展中受益。基于叙事的方法通过参与者在每个研讨会上与当代机器人的直接互动以及一次“机器人家访”得到补充，以将对机器人及其当前能力的体验理解与可能的未来相结合，同时促进利益相关者和设计师之间的相互学习。该研究采用了一种混合方法研究设计，并带有批判性后人类主义理论视角。这种包容性的共同设计方法应该能够建立一幅丰富、细致入微的画面，展示人们目前如何在未来想象机器人，并促进所有参与者深化这些概念。预计每个参与的人都能使自己充分想象在我们这个日益技术化的世界中他们个人未来的各种可能性。
