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Abstract

Robots often do not fit seamlessly into the social environments in which people position them. This research focuses on using clothing as a new interface for robots to improve Human-Robot Interaction (HRI). Clothing goes beyond mere aesthetics; it can make us more adaptable and fit in with the surrounding social atmosphere. I propose a theoretical framework and evaluate it with practice-oriented methods, like Reflection in action in an agriculture setting, and expert interviews about current design practices. By using these Research through Design methods, I uncover the ways in which clothing can improve human-robot interaction. Through these projects, I demonstrate how the theoretical framework could be relevant to concrete design processes. This is the first work to present a mixed-methods approach to studying clothing for robots. This research provides insights to future designers into methods for them to assess clothing for robots.