irb-application/irbapplication.tex

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\textbf{\Large IRB Application for HRIStudio User Study}
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\section{PART I - Initial Classification}

\begin{enumerate}[start=1]
\item[\textbf{1.}] The research \textbf{will not} involve prisoners, individuals with impaired decision-making capacity, or economically or educationally disadvantaged persons.
\item[\textbf{2.}] The research \textbf{will not} involve subjects under the age of 18.
\item[\textbf{3.}] The research \textbf{will not} involve collection of information regarding sensitive aspects of the subjects' lives.
\item[\textbf{4.}] The information obtained \textbf{will} be recorded by the investigator in such a manner that the identity of the subjects can readily be ascertained either directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects (Video recordings).
% CHANGE: Deception is now NO because the student is a real volunteer.
\item[\textbf{5.}] The research \textbf{will not} involve either deception or incomplete disclosure of the purpose, methods, or other relevant aspects of the research.
\item[\textbf{5a.}] N/A
\item[\textbf{6.}] \textbf{The procedures of this research present no more than minimal risk to the subject.}
\item[\textbf{7.}] The research \textbf{will not} be conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings.
\item[\textbf{8.}] The research \textbf{will} involve survey or interview procedures, observation of public behavior, or educational tests.
\item[\textbf{9.}] The research \textbf{will} involve benign behavioral interventions.
\item[\textbf{10.}] The research \textbf{will not} involve already existing identifiable private information.
\item[\textbf{11.}] The research \textbf{will not} be designed to study public benefit or service programs.
\item[\textbf{12.}] The research \textbf{will not} involve taste and food quality evaluation.
\item[\textbf{13.}] The data collected in this research \textbf{will not} involve secondary analysis for which broad consent is required.
\end{enumerate}

\section{PART II - Detailed Study Information}

\begin{enumerate}[start=1]
\item[\textbf{1.}] \textbf{Study Purpose and Research Question}

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For my honors thesis project, I am evaluating HRIStudio, a web-based platform I developed for designing and executing Wizard-of-Oz experiments in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI).
My research question compares HRIStudio against the industry standard (Choregraphe) to determine their impact on:
\begin{enumerate}
    \item \textbf{Disciplinary Accessibility:} Can non-technical domain experts successfully design a robot interaction?
    \item \textbf{Scientific Reproducibility:} Does the tool minimize human error and data loss during experiment execution?
\end{enumerate}
I hypothesize that participants using HRIStudio will achieve higher Design Fidelity Scores and Execution Reliability Scores than those using the control software.

\item[\textbf{2.}] \textbf{Subject Sample Description}

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I will recruit a total of \textbf{N=20 participants}, divided into two distinct groups:

\textbf{Group A: The "Wizards" (N=10)}
\begin{itemize}
    \item \textbf{Population:} Faculty or Graduate Students from non-Computer Science disciplines (e.g., Psychology, Education, Sociology) at Bucknell University.
    \item \textbf{Exclusion Criteria:} Must have NO prior experience with the NAO robot or Choregraphe software.
\end{itemize}

\textbf{Group B: The "Test Subjects" (N=10)}
\begin{itemize}
    \item \textbf{Population:} Undergraduate students at Bucknell University.
    \item \textbf{Role:} They will serve as the "student" taking the geography quiz administered by the Wizard.
    \item \textbf{Exclusion Criteria:} Must not be enrolled in a course taught by the "Wizard" participant they are paired with (to prevent coercion).
\end{itemize}

\item[\textbf{3.}] \textbf{Recruitment and Selection Methods}

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\textbf{Wizards:} Recruited via email outreach to Department Chairs in the target disciplines and physical flyers in academic buildings.
\textbf{Test Subjects:} Recruited via general campus announcements (Message Center, flyers) calling for volunteers to "Interact with a robot for 15 minutes."

Recruitment materials will clearly state the time commitment (75 minutes for Wizards, 15 minutes for Test Subjects) and compensation. Participants will be screened via email for eligibility and randomly assigned to the Control or Experimental condition (for Wizards).

\item[\textbf{4.}] \textbf{Detailed Research Methods and Procedures}

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\textbf{a) Research methods and procedures}

This is a between-subjects user study comparing two software interfaces.
\textbf{For "Wizard" Participants (75 minutes):}
\begin{enumerate}
    \item \textbf{Training (15 mins):} Participant receives a standardized tutorial on their assigned software (HRIStudio or Choregraphe) covering speech, motion, and triggers.
    \item \textbf{Design Challenge (30 mins):} Participant is given a "Paper Specification" (a storyboard for a 'Geography Quiz Proctor' scenario) and must implement it on the robot. The researcher tracks time-to-completion and help requests.
    \item \textbf{Live Trial (15 mins):} A "Test Subject" (Group B participant) enters the room. The Wizard uses their interface to administer the quiz to the Test Subject.
    \item \textbf{Debrief (15 mins):} Wizard exports the data and completes the System Usability Scale (SUS) survey.
\end{enumerate}

\textbf{For "Test Subject" Participants (15 minutes):}
The Test Subject enters the lab, consents to participate, and interacts with the robot for the duration of the "Geography Quiz" (approx. 5-10 minutes). They answer the robot's questions naturally.

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\textbf{b) Time Commitment}
\begin{itemize}
    \item Wizards: 75 minutes (One session).
    \item Test Subjects: 15 minutes (One session).
\end{itemize}

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\textbf{c) Data Collection}
\begin{itemize}
    \item \textbf{Screen Recording:} Captures the Wizard's workflow and design errors.
    \item \textbf{Video Recording:} Captures the robot and the Test Subject during the Live Trial (to measure response timing and script adherence).
    \item \textbf{Surveys:} SUS scores and confidence ratings from the Wizards.
    \item \textbf{Rubrics:} "Design Fidelity Score" (scored from the saved project file) and "Execution Reliability Score" (scored from the video).
\end{itemize}

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\textbf{d) Informed Consent}
Written informed consent will be obtained from ALL participants (Wizards and Test Subjects) prior to their involvement.
\textit{Note:} Wizards will consent to the full 75-minute procedure. Test Subjects will sign a simplified consent form specific to the 15-minute interaction and video recording.

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\textbf{e) Deception}
No deception is used in this study. Both the Wizard and the Test Subject are aware of their roles in the experiment.

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\textbf{f) Confidentiality}
All video and screen data will be stored on an encrypted drive kept in the PI's locked lab space. Participant names will be replaced with numerical codes (W-01 for Wizards, S-01 for Subjects). Data will be retained for 3 years following thesis completion.

\item[\textbf{5.}] \textbf{Benefits and Payment Arrangements}

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\textbf{Wizards:} Will receive a \$15 Amazon gift card for the 75-minute session.
\textbf{Test Subjects:} Will receive a \$5 Amazon gift card (or equivalent snack/token) for the 15-minute session.
Compensation is provided immediately upon completion. If a participant withdraws early, they still receive full compensation.

\item[\textbf{6.}] \textbf{Researcher-Subject Relationships}

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The PI is an undergraduate student. To mitigate coercion:
1. Faculty Wizards are recruited from unrelated departments.
2. Test Subjects are screened to ensure they are not current students of the Faculty Wizard they are paired with.
3. Participation is strictly voluntary with no impact on academic standing.

\end{enumerate}

\section{PART III - Supporting Documents}

\begin{itemize}
\item \textbf{Informed Consent Form (Wizard)}
\item \textbf{Informed Consent Form (Test Subject)}
\item \textbf{Recruitment Materials}
\item \textbf{Paper Specification (The "Geography Quiz")}
\item \textbf{Post-Study Questionnaire (SUS)}
\item \textbf{CITI Completion Report}
\end{itemize}

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