From the Lab to the Field: Observations from Unmanned System Field Research and Comparisons to Laboratory Counterparts

Abstract

This paper examines the intricacies of applied robotics research, both in the laboratory and in the field. Described within will be some of the differences between lab and field studies that researchers must diligently work to reduce. Areas discussed include differences in technological capabilities, team composition, and system reliability. Rather than report the results of a single study, the purpose of this paper is to bring the Human Robot Interaction (HRI) research community closer as a whole. It also serves to emphasize the real-life implications of applied laboratory efforts, as opposed to fixating on the statistics alone. Specific ‘lessons learned’ with respect to successful, and not-so successful, strategies for conducting lab-based HRI research are also included. Finally, a testing facility for the continued congruence between lab and field HRI research is proposed.