E-scooters and Urban Mobility: A Study on Design and Use PDF

The central argument of the paper \"E-scooters on the Ground: Lessons for Redesigning Urban Micro-Mobility\" is that while e-scooters offer a promising new mode of urban micro-mobility, their rapid adoption has introduced some challenges related to public space use, safety, reliability, and environm...

The central argument of the paper \"E-scooters on the Ground: Lessons for Redesigning Urban Micro-Mobility\" is that while e-scooters offer a promising new mode of urban micro-mobility, their rapid adoption has introduced some challenges related to public space use, safety, reliability, and environmental impact. The paper argues that these issues provide important opportunities for our Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) to play a crucial role in rethinking vehicle design, user experience, and the integration of e-scooters within broader urban transport systems. E-scooters\' Appeal and Hybrid Nature allow users to switch seamlessly between pedestrian, cyclist, and motorist modes, offering flexibility in congested urban environments. The paper highlights the conflicts e-scooters create with pedestrians and other road users, calling for better design and regulation. The authors emphasize that HCI can contribute to designing better e-scooter systems, improve user experiences, and help develop urban mobility solutions that are sustainable and safe. **THE ESSAY qualitative research approach** with a mix of **ethnographic methods** to understand e-scooter use in urban environments. The authors conducted five weeks of field observations in Paris, focusing on how both rental and privately-owned e-scooters are used in public spaces. The study involved **interviews with 20 participants**---e-scooter owners, rental users, shop owners, and city representatives. These interviews explored the motivations, experiences, and challenges faced by users. Video ethnography was used to document the interactions between e-scooter users and other road users. This provided insights into how users navigate public spaces and negotiate conflicts.  E-scooters\' ability to shift between different transport modes (pedestrian, cyclist, motorist) allows users to \"hack\" urban mobility. For example, users can switch from riding in traffic to walking on sidewalks when needed, adding to their flexibility.  E-scooters enable new **intermodal transport** routes, where users combine different transportation modes (e.g., e-scooter and metro) to optimize their journeys. This reshaping of transport patterns is highlighted as an area where HCI can contribute to designing better systems.  **What factors influence the reliability and user satisfaction of rental e-scooter systems in densely populated urban areas?**  **How do e-scooters contribute to sustainable urban transport, and what design changes could maximize their environmental benefits?** the paper titled *\"Birds of a Feather Video-Flock Together: Design and Evaluation of an Agency-Based Parrot-to-Parrot Video-Calling System for Interspecies Ethical Enrichment\"* is that providing **agency-driven video-calling technology** for pet parrots can significantly enhance their socialization and well-being. The study proposes that enabling parrots to initiate video calls with other parrots (through a user-friendly interface) offers a new and ethically enriching form of interspecies interaction that addresses the loneliness and lack of cognitive stimulation experienced by many captive birds. The paper employs a **longitudinal mixed-methods approach**, combining both **quantitative** and **qualitative** methods: Over three months, 18 parrots participated in a two-phase study where they were trained to initiate video calls with other parrots by ringing a bell and selecting another parrot's image on a tablet. **Observation and Data Collection**: The birds' behavior during calls (engagement, agency, and perception) was observed, recorded, and analyzed. interviews are also included\> Caretaker feedback was collected through post-study interviews to gain insights into perceived changes in the birds\' behavior and well-being. What intrigued me is that The study explored the importance of **giving birds control** over their socialization. Parrots were able to choose when to initiate calls and which birds to call, thus exercising their **agency**, which is a core component of animal welfare. Birds showed varied levels of engagement with the system, with some birds forming social bonds, mimicking behaviors, and even learning from each other during the calls, which suggests that video calls can serve as meaningful **social enrichment**. How will other species react when they are allowed to participate in video calls with their own kind? Will the results be similar to those observed with parrots in the article? How can we ensure that the parrot\'s curiosity about interacting with others is genuine rather than simply a need for emotional and social connection? *The Halting Problem: Video Analysis of Self-Driving Cars in Traffic\"* is that while self-driving cars like Tesla\'s Full Self-Driving (FSD) and Waymo have advanced technologically, they still struggle with fundamental aspects of road interaction, such as yielding and stopping in traffic. The paper argues that these failures stem from the vehicles\' inability to participate fully in the **social dimension of driving**, which requires mutual understanding and communication between road users. It emphasizes that designing for such **social interactions** remains a significant challenge in autonomous vehicle technology, affecting both the functionality and safety of these cars. The study uses a **video-based ethnographic approach**, drawing from publicly available YouTube videos that capture real-world interactions between self-driving cars and other road users. Key methods include: The authors analyzed over 16 hours of video footage from Tesla and Waymo self-driving cars interacting with human drivers, pedestrians, and other road users. These clips were sourced from third-party YouTube content creators and focused specifically on incidents where yielding or traffic interactions occurred. Four specific cases were selected for detailed analysis to illustrate the challenges self-driving cars face in performing basic traffic maneuvers such as yielding or failing to proceed when it is their turn. The behaviors of Tesla\'s FSD system and Waymo's autonomous vehicles were compared across different traffic scenarios to identify patterns and differences in how these systems handle road interactions. I FIND IT INTERESETING BECAUSE The paper highlights how even a basic interaction like yielding can be complex for self-driving cars, as they struggle to interpret social cues (e.g., hand gestures or gaze) from pedestrians and other drivers. Self-driving cars sometimes fail to yield when required or fail to proceed when other users yield to them. : A key challenge is that self-driving cars lack the human ability to **interpret non-verbal cues** (such as hand waves or eye contact) that guide much of the communication between road users. This leads to a disconnect between the car\'s programmed behaviors and the expectations of human drivers and pedestrians. The inability of self-driving cars to act **in real time** during moment-to-moment road interactions leads to significant issues in smooth road negotiation. For example, cars may stop and start erratically at intersections, failing to follow the expected sequence of traffic. What are the key social interaction challenges that prevent self-driving cars from seamlessly integrating into human traffic systems? How do road users adapt their behavior when interacting with self-driving cars, and what does this reveal about the limitations of current autonomous systems? All three papers focus on **human-machine interaction (HCI)** in environments where the machine must interact with humans in **socially complex settings**: These three papers collectively push HCI research toward addressing the **social integration** of technology, whether for autonomous vehicles in traffic, animals using digital systems, or humans using new mobility solutions. By understanding and designing for **social interaction, user agency, and ethical responsibility**, HCI researchers can ensure that future technologies enhance rather than disrupt human and animal experiences in shared environments. The ethical concerns raised by all three studies suggest that HCI researchers must carefully consider the **social, environmental, and ethical implications** of new technologies. For example, in urban mobility, designers need to create systems that balance **individual freedom** (e.g., e-scooters) with the **collective good** (e.g., pedestrian safety). In autonomous systems, considerations of **public safety**, **consent**, and **well-being** (in both human and non-human contexts) should guide the development of future technologies.