Pedestrian - Robot Collaboration in Urban Unstructured Environment: Building a Use Case

Autonomous driving technology has advanced rapidly, yet the interactions between autonomous mobile robots and pedestrians in unstructured urban environments remain under-explored. This study examines human-robot interactions on sidewalks, focusing on scenarios that lead to potential conflicts, such as blocked pathways and evasive manoeuvres. Using a mobile robot equipped with environmental sensors, real-world tests were conducted over four weeks along a predefined urban route to evaluate robot behaviour and pedestrian responses. Key findings reveal that robot speed, proximity, and environmental conditions significantly influence pedestrian comfort and acceptance. High pedestrian density and narrow pathways amplify conflict potential, while robot speed plays a dual role—slower speeds cause congestion, and higher speeds heighten psychological stress. The novelty of the research is the unique datasets, collected during the field test. The insights gained will create actionable guidelines for improving decision-making systems and optimizing robot behaviour in shared urban spaces. Future studies aim to refine interaction models and address social and environmental challenges, paving the way for more accepted deployment of autonomous robots in urban settings.