ProjecTA: A Semi-Humanoid Robotic Teaching Assistant with In-Situ Projection for Guided Tours
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arXiv
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| _version_ | 1866908774984318976 |
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| author | Zhou, Hanqing Zhang, Yichuan Zhang, Zihan Zhang, Wei Wang, Chao An, Pengcheng |
| author_facet | Zhou, Hanqing Zhang, Yichuan Zhang, Zihan Zhang, Wei Wang, Chao An, Pengcheng |
| contents | Robotic teaching assistants (TAs) often use body-mounted screens to deliver content. In nomadic, walk-and-talk learning, such as tours in makerspaces, these screens can distract learners from real-world objects, increasing extraneous cognitive load. HCI research lacks empirical comparisons of potential alternatives, such as robots with in-situ projection versus screen-based counterparts; little knowledge has been derived for designing such alternatives. We introduce ProjecTA, a semi-humanoid, gesture-capable TA that guides learners while projecting near-object overlays coordinated with speech and gestures. In a mixed-method study (N=24) in a university makerspace, ProjecTA significantly reduced extraneous load and outperformed its screen-based counterpart in perceived usability, usefulness of visual display, and cross-modal complementarity. Qualitative analyses revealed how ProjecTA's coordinated projections, gestures, and speech anchored explanations in place and time, enhancing understanding in ways a screen could not. We derive key design implications for future robotic TAs leveraging spatial projection to support mobile learning in physical environments. |
| format | Preprint |
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arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_11328 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | ProjecTA: A Semi-Humanoid Robotic Teaching Assistant with In-Situ Projection for Guided Tours Zhou, Hanqing Zhang, Yichuan Zhang, Zihan Zhang, Wei Wang, Chao An, Pengcheng Human-Computer Interaction 68T40, 68U35 H.5.2; I.2.9; K.3.1 Robotic teaching assistants (TAs) often use body-mounted screens to deliver content. In nomadic, walk-and-talk learning, such as tours in makerspaces, these screens can distract learners from real-world objects, increasing extraneous cognitive load. HCI research lacks empirical comparisons of potential alternatives, such as robots with in-situ projection versus screen-based counterparts; little knowledge has been derived for designing such alternatives. We introduce ProjecTA, a semi-humanoid, gesture-capable TA that guides learners while projecting near-object overlays coordinated with speech and gestures. In a mixed-method study (N=24) in a university makerspace, ProjecTA significantly reduced extraneous load and outperformed its screen-based counterpart in perceived usability, usefulness of visual display, and cross-modal complementarity. Qualitative analyses revealed how ProjecTA's coordinated projections, gestures, and speech anchored explanations in place and time, enhancing understanding in ways a screen could not. We derive key design implications for future robotic TAs leveraging spatial projection to support mobile learning in physical environments. |
| title | ProjecTA: A Semi-Humanoid Robotic Teaching Assistant with In-Situ Projection for Guided Tours |
| topic | Human-Computer Interaction 68T40, 68U35 H.5.2; I.2.9; K.3.1 |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.11328 |