ROBSO-PM

ROBSO-PM is a project that explores how social robots and telepresence can make cultural heritage more accessible. Many small museums still present barriers for visitors, especially in terms of perception, culture and cognition. This is particularly true in mountain areas and less densely populated regions, where staff and resources are limited.

The project is being developed with three partner museums, each with different characteristics:

Robots will support two main experiences. As guides, they will accompany visitors with multilingual speech, text and multimedia, making the visit more inclusive for foreign visitors, people with visual or hearing impairments, and those with cognitive difficulties. As telepresence tools, they will allow people with reduced mobility, for example elderly residents or those living far away, to connect remotely and still enjoy the museums.

From a research perspective the project addresses themes such as storytelling and cultural mediation, robot personality and empathy, personalization of the interaction, and collaboration between visitors and robots. The design process involves museum staff and visitors directly, adopting a human-centered approach to ensure that the technology is inclusive and engaging.

The impact extends beyond accessibility. By offering new ways to experience culture, ROBSO-PM contributes to the promotion of less known museums, supports sustainable tourism and encourages intergenerational and intercultural participation. It is estimated that the project will benefit more than 17,000 visitors, including thousands of students, people with disabilities and international guests.

The initiative is carried out by AIRLab at the University of Turin together with the three museums involved and is supported by Fondazione CRT.