Designing Last-Mile Delivery Robot Systems: Teleoperation Interfaces, eHMI, and Operator-Bystander Interaction

Avishag Boker

doi:10.1145/3772363.3799214

Designing Last-Mile Delivery Robot Systems: Teleoperation Interfaces, eHMI, and Operator-Bystander Interaction

Avishag Boker

Department of Information Systems

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

As e-commerce expands, autonomous Last-Mile Delivery Robots (LMDRs) offer promising solutions for efficient, sustainable urban delivery. When encountering unexpected obstacles or technical malfunctions, remote operators (ROs) must intervene through teleoperation systems. During such interventions, ROs often need to communicate with bystanders, yet current methods prove inadequate in noisy urban settings, when language barriers exist, or when nuanced communication is required. This dissertation investigates LMDR design and teleoperation through three interconnected research directions: (1) LMDR teleoperation, (2) external Human-Machine Interface (eHMI) design for LMDRs, and (3) operator-bystander mediated communication through eHMI. These directions address critical gaps in understanding how LMDRs can operate safely and effectively in shared urban environments. This research aims to deliver evidence-based design guidelines for teleoperation interfaces and eHMI systems, with actionable recommendations supporting sustainable LMDR integration into urban environments.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	CHI 2026 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Editors	Nuria Oliver, David A. Shamma, Heloisa Candello, Pablo Cesar, Pedro Lopes, Valentino Artizzu, Fiona Draxler, Gustavo Lopez, Anke V. Reinschluessel, Xin Tong, Phoebe O. Toups Dugas
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery
ISBN (Electronic)	9798400722813
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3772363.3799214
State	Published - 13 Apr 2026
Event	Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2026 - Barcelona, Spain Duration: 13 Apr 2026 → 17 Apr 2026

Publication series

Name	Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings

Conference

Conference	Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2026
Country/Territory	Spain
City	Barcelona
Period	13/04/26 → 17/04/26

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 Copyright held by the owner/author(s).

Keywords

external Human Machine Interface
Human-Robot Interaction
Interface Design
Last Mile Delivery Robots
Operator-Bystander Communication
Teleoperation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Human-Computer Interaction
Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design
Software

Access to Document

10.1145/3772363.3799214

Cite this

Boker, A. (2026). Designing Last-Mile Delivery Robot Systems: Teleoperation Interfaces, eHMI, and Operator-Bystander Interaction. In N. Oliver, D. A. Shamma, H. Candello, P. Cesar, P. Lopes, V. Artizzu, F. Draxler, G. Lopez, A. V. Reinschluessel, X. Tong, & P. O. Toups Dugas (Eds.), CHI 2026 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Article 889 (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings ). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3772363.3799214

Boker, Avishag. / Designing Last-Mile Delivery Robot Systems : Teleoperation Interfaces, eHMI, and Operator-Bystander Interaction. CHI 2026 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. editor / Nuria Oliver ; David A. Shamma ; Heloisa Candello ; Pablo Cesar ; Pedro Lopes ; Valentino Artizzu ; Fiona Draxler ; Gustavo Lopez ; Anke V. Reinschluessel ; Xin Tong ; Phoebe O. Toups Dugas. Association for Computing Machinery, 2026. (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings ).

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abstract = "As e-commerce expands, autonomous Last-Mile Delivery Robots (LMDRs) offer promising solutions for efficient, sustainable urban delivery. When encountering unexpected obstacles or technical malfunctions, remote operators (ROs) must intervene through teleoperation systems. During such interventions, ROs often need to communicate with bystanders, yet current methods prove inadequate in noisy urban settings, when language barriers exist, or when nuanced communication is required. This dissertation investigates LMDR design and teleoperation through three interconnected research directions: (1) LMDR teleoperation, (2) external Human-Machine Interface (eHMI) design for LMDRs, and (3) operator-bystander mediated communication through eHMI. These directions address critical gaps in understanding how LMDRs can operate safely and effectively in shared urban environments. This research aims to deliver evidence-based design guidelines for teleoperation interfaces and eHMI systems, with actionable recommendations supporting sustainable LMDR integration into urban environments.",

keywords = "external Human Machine Interface, Human-Robot Interaction, Interface Design, Last Mile Delivery Robots, Operator-Bystander Communication, Teleoperation",

author = "Avishag Boker",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026 Copyright held by the owner/author(s).; Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2026 ; Conference date: 13-04-2026 Through 17-04-2026",

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Boker, A 2026, Designing Last-Mile Delivery Robot Systems: Teleoperation Interfaces, eHMI, and Operator-Bystander Interaction. in N Oliver, DA Shamma, H Candello, P Cesar, P Lopes, V Artizzu, F Draxler, G Lopez, AV Reinschluessel, X Tong & PO Toups Dugas (eds), CHI 2026 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems., 889, Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings , Association for Computing Machinery, Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2026, Barcelona, Spain, 13/04/26. https://doi.org/10.1145/3772363.3799214

Designing Last-Mile Delivery Robot Systems: Teleoperation Interfaces, eHMI, and Operator-Bystander Interaction. / Boker, Avishag.
CHI 2026 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. ed. / Nuria Oliver; David A. Shamma; Heloisa Candello; Pablo Cesar; Pedro Lopes; Valentino Artizzu; Fiona Draxler; Gustavo Lopez; Anke V. Reinschluessel; Xin Tong; Phoebe O. Toups Dugas. Association for Computing Machinery, 2026. 889 (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings ).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Designing Last-Mile Delivery Robot Systems

T2 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2026

AU - Boker, Avishag

PY - 2026/4/13

Y1 - 2026/4/13

N2 - As e-commerce expands, autonomous Last-Mile Delivery Robots (LMDRs) offer promising solutions for efficient, sustainable urban delivery. When encountering unexpected obstacles or technical malfunctions, remote operators (ROs) must intervene through teleoperation systems. During such interventions, ROs often need to communicate with bystanders, yet current methods prove inadequate in noisy urban settings, when language barriers exist, or when nuanced communication is required. This dissertation investigates LMDR design and teleoperation through three interconnected research directions: (1) LMDR teleoperation, (2) external Human-Machine Interface (eHMI) design for LMDRs, and (3) operator-bystander mediated communication through eHMI. These directions address critical gaps in understanding how LMDRs can operate safely and effectively in shared urban environments. This research aims to deliver evidence-based design guidelines for teleoperation interfaces and eHMI systems, with actionable recommendations supporting sustainable LMDR integration into urban environments.

AB - As e-commerce expands, autonomous Last-Mile Delivery Robots (LMDRs) offer promising solutions for efficient, sustainable urban delivery. When encountering unexpected obstacles or technical malfunctions, remote operators (ROs) must intervene through teleoperation systems. During such interventions, ROs often need to communicate with bystanders, yet current methods prove inadequate in noisy urban settings, when language barriers exist, or when nuanced communication is required. This dissertation investigates LMDR design and teleoperation through three interconnected research directions: (1) LMDR teleoperation, (2) external Human-Machine Interface (eHMI) design for LMDRs, and (3) operator-bystander mediated communication through eHMI. These directions address critical gaps in understanding how LMDRs can operate safely and effectively in shared urban environments. This research aims to deliver evidence-based design guidelines for teleoperation interfaces and eHMI systems, with actionable recommendations supporting sustainable LMDR integration into urban environments.

KW - external Human Machine Interface

KW - Human-Robot Interaction

KW - Interface Design

KW - Last Mile Delivery Robots

KW - Operator-Bystander Communication

KW - Teleoperation

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DO - 10.1145/3772363.3799214

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:105038093462

T3 - Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings

BT - CHI 2026 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

A2 - Oliver, Nuria

A2 - Shamma, David A.

A2 - Candello, Heloisa

A2 - Cesar, Pablo

A2 - Lopes, Pedro

A2 - Artizzu, Valentino

A2 - Draxler, Fiona

A2 - Lopez, Gustavo

A2 - Reinschluessel, Anke V.

A2 - Tong, Xin

A2 - Toups Dugas, Phoebe O.

PB - Association for Computing Machinery

Y2 - 13 April 2026 through 17 April 2026

ER -

Boker A. Designing Last-Mile Delivery Robot Systems: Teleoperation Interfaces, eHMI, and Operator-Bystander Interaction. In Oliver N, Shamma DA, Candello H, Cesar P, Lopes P, Artizzu V, Draxler F, Lopez G, Reinschluessel AV, Tong X, Toups Dugas PO, editors, CHI 2026 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Association for Computing Machinery. 2026. 889. (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings ). doi: 10.1145/3772363.3799214

Designing Last-Mile Delivery Robot Systems: Teleoperation Interfaces, eHMI, and Operator-Bystander Interaction

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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