The Problem
The mechanical design was finalized. But the robot had no name, no face, and no way to tell a frightened child that everything was going to be okay.
My Role
I owned the character design system, survey research and analysis, storyboard, and pre-exposure media. I translated raw caregiver data into a design direction the team could build from.
Key Design Decisions
Three choices that shaped the interaction system, each one traceable to survey data.
01
Character over function
The robot's mechanical capability was already defined. The missing layer was personality. A named, story-driven character (Sam) gave children a relationship to form before the exam to shift the experience from clinical procedure to familiar encounter.
02
Data-driven design
I designed the research instrument, ran forced-choice pairwise comparisons between characters, and fit a Bradley-Terry model to turn raw preferences into head-to-head probabilities. With n=30 the gaps were not significant at the 5% level, but the pattern held: Sam led every matchup. The decision was evidence-driven, not preference-driven.
03
Pre-exposure before first contact
Pediatric media literature shows that familiarity before an event significantly reduces anxiety. The animated pre-exposure video that is designed for home and waiting room viewing creates that familiarity before the child ever sees the robot.
The Robot
The mechanical arm was finalized as our job was giving it a soul.
01
Research & Strategy
Four methods, one goal to find what actually makes children less afraid.
It's a super cool project. Has the potential to make the situation so much easier for children.
Caregiver, Kellogg Eye Center surveyShadowed real OCT procedures at Kellogg Eye Center by observing wait times, emotional friction points, and how children responded to the equipment in the moment.
Generated multiple character concepts targeting age-based responses. Four finalists were refined through medical staff feedback for hygiene and clinical compatibility.
Preference was measured through forced-choice pairwise comparison, with exposure controlled across characters. I fit a Bradley-Terry model, translating choices into head-to-head probabilities. With n=30 the differences were not significant at the 5% level, but the pattern was consistent: Sam led every matchup.
One observation led to two completely different design problems.
Observe real exams
Shadowing OCT procedures revealed two very different kids in the same room. A 6-year-old gripping their parent's hand in fear, and a 10-year-old slumped in the chair, visibly bored. Same exam, completely different emotional states.
Two personas, two distinct problems
That observation became two personas and journey maps. Each reveals a fundamentally different design need.
"What is that thing? Is it going to hurt me?"
Needs comfort and familiarity before anything else.
"How long is this going to take?"
Needs engagement and a sense of mission to stay cooperative.
One solution cannot serve both
A gentle animal character calms a 6-year-old but feels babyish to a 10-year-old. A mission-based character engages older kids but overwhelms younger ones. This is why we developed 4 distinct concepts.
The Journey We Set Out to Change
Drag the slider to trace how comfort shifts across the visit, with and without Sam.
Home
Sam's video plays at home. First familiarity forms.
Age 6, comfort first
Age 10, mission first
02
Character Design
Four concepts and Sam the Ranger, selected for cross-age appeal and clinical compatibility.
Each character was designed to target a different emotional register and age group. Survey data and medical staff review narrowed four designs to Sam, a ranger-style character with a mission-based narrative that works across developmental stages.
+ verdict
★ prioritized
+ verdict
+ verdict
The robot must never lie.
One concept framed the scan as a staring contest. Children saw through it, called the robot creepy, and stopped cooperating. Sam's narrative does the opposite: the exam is real, and the child's role in it is real.
03
Storyboard & Pre-Exposure Media
Narrative arc designed to mirror a child's emotional journey.
Two-part storyboard following exposition → conflict → rising action → climax → resolution. Part 1: Sam's introduction (trust + excitement). Part 2: Sam's farewell (closure + positive memory).
Calming animated video introducing Sam played at home and in clinic waiting areas. Based on pediatric media literature showing pre-familiarity significantly reduces first-contact anxiety.
Co-authoring a forthcoming ACM paper synthesizing findings across media design, child–robot interaction, and clinical UX research. Written in ACM LaTeX.
04
Data Analysis & Deliverables
Quantitative survey data and qualitative emotional feedback synthesized into design decisions.
Survey Results
Findings from this research were synthesized into a co-authored ACM paper.
30 caregivers evaluated character designs after viewing pre-exposure videos at Kellogg Eye Center.
93%
preferred robotic OCT over standard exam vs. typical distress reported without pre-exposure
70-80%
of responses were curious and interested, with 60-70% comfortable and at ease
30
caregivers surveyed at Kellogg Eye Center
4
character designs evaluated across age groups
05
Designing Under Constraints
01
The IRB clock
Constraint
Direct child surveys required an approval cycle longer than our project window.
My response
I designed a caregiver-report instrument capturing children's states through parent observation. Their spontaneous reactions during sessions entered the data anyway.
02
Fear blocks the scan
Constraint
An OCT scan needs a still child. A frightened one moves, cries, or refuses. Two thirds of our families were first-timers, the most anxious group.
My response
We treated anxiety reduction as a functional requirement, not polish. The character system is what makes the device usable.
03
The clinic filters everything
Constraint
Every concept had to survive infection control, cleaning cycles, and equipment contact.
My response
Removable, washable outfits and masks. One robot body, multiple swappable characters, zero hygiene compromise.
06
Reflection
In most products, delight is a nice-to-have. In pediatric healthcare, a child's emotional state determines whether the exam can happen at all. A scared child moves, cries, or refuses, and the scan fails. Emotional design was the difference between a usable device and an unusable one.