HEXABOT

App

📖 Project Overview

Hexabot is an advanced task management application designed to help lunar pioneers efficiently assign, monitor, and control multi-purpose robots in a hostile extraterrestrial environment. The app provides an intuitive interface to handle a variety of essential tasks such as resource extraction, environmental analysis, agriculture, and exploration.

The project was developed for a futuristic yet functional UX/UI approach, ensuring ease of use even in extreme conditions. It was created as a high-fidelity prototype for a competition, following strict usability, accessibility, and creativity criteria.

🔍 Project Statement

In the year 2025 (in an alternate timeline), humans have established permanent lunar colonies, relying on Hexabots—multi-purpose autonomous robots—to maintain daily operations. The existing robot management software was a basic prototype built by engineers, but lacked usability and efficiency for the two primary user types:

  1. Explorers & Researchers → Need an efficient and multi-tasking system to optimize experiments and operations.

  2. Families & Settlers → Require a simple, intuitive interface to manage daily tasks with minimal learning curve.

Hexabot App was designed to improve this process by offering:
✅ A real-time, map-based task assignment system.
✅ An intuitive interface that supports both expert users and non-technical individuals.
✅ Enhanced status monitoring with smart notifications and emergency alerts.
✅ Accessibility features, including voice commands and clear robot identification to avoid confusion.

🎯 Objectives & Goals

Main Objectives:

  • Design a user-friendly interface that minimizes cognitive load for operators.

  • Implement a real-time map-based task management system.

  • Ensure clear task delegation, avoiding confusion in multi-bot environments.

  • Introduce accessibility features for users operating in restrictive environments (e.g., spacesuits, gloves).

  • Develop a future-proof UX/UI framework that aligns with modern usability standards.

Success Metrics:

  • Task completion efficiency (faster assignments, fewer misallocated tasks).

  • User engagement (high interaction rate with bot status updates).

  • Low error rate (users successfully assigning and tracking bots without confusion).

  • Positive usability test results (easy task navigation and accessibility).

🗂️ Research Phase

Methodology:

  • Competitive Analysis: Studied automation task management platforms and robotic fleet control UIs.

  • User Behavior Study: Analyzed how researchers and settlers interact with task-based interfaces.

  • Accessibility Testing: Considered real-world constraints such as limited dexterity and voice input usability.

  • Persona Development: Created distinct user personas to define design requirements.

Key User Personas:

  1. Dr. Ethan Carter – Lunar Researcher

    • Needs to manage multiple Hexabots for resource extraction and exploration.

    • Often multi-tasking and requires quick task allocation without disruptions.

  2. Sophia Williams – Lunar Settler

    • Uses Hexabots for daily activities (agriculture, food delivery).

    • Non-technical user, needs a simple and clear interface for easy interaction.

📁 Key Findings

  1. Frequent status checks – Users check their Hexabots 7-10 times daily, requiring real-time status updates.

  2. Urgent task assignments – 65% of tasks are time-sensitive, so the task assignment process must be fast and efficient.

  3. Environmental challenges – Users may operate in low-visibility conditions (spacesuits, gloves), requiring voice commands and large interactive elements.

  4. Robot identification issues – Users need clear differentiation between Hexabots, avoiding confusion when multiple bots work in the same area.

🎨 Design Phase

The UX/UI process was structured to focus on efficiency, clarity, and futuristic accessibility.

1. Wireframing & Task Flow Development

  • Low-fidelity wireframes mapped the main user journey, ensuring streamlined interactions.

  • User-tested prototypes refined task selection and bot assignment flows.

  • Task mapping system visually represented robot positions and assignments.

2. UI Design & High-Fidelity Prototypes

  • Interactive Task Map: Users can assign bots based on live status updates and location.

  • Task Selection Panel: Categorized task management UI for exploration, research, and daily needs.

  • Real-Time Robot Monitoring: Status updates, battery life, progress tracking, and alerts.

  • Personalized Bots: Customizable names, icons for easier recognition.

  • Voice Commands & Notifications: Hands-free control for critical actions.

3. Usability Testing & Iterations

  • Prototype testing with simulated user conditions (low dexterity, visual obstructions).

  • Iterations based on feedback → Improved clarity in task assignment & enhanced status notifications.

✅ Outcome

Project Results:

  • Highly efficient, real-time task assignment system for multi-bot management.

  • Clear, interactive UI with visual task differentiation to avoid confusion.

  • Integrated accessibility features (voice commands, large touch targets, priority alerts).

  • Optimized usability for both expert users and non-technical settlers.

  • Positive feedback from prototype tests, validating ease of interaction and efficiency.

Next Steps & Future Enhancements:

  • AI-powered task prioritization, allowing Hexabot to self-assign critical tasks.

  • Predictive maintenance monitoring, preventing unexpected bot failures.

  • Expanded voice control functionalities, integrating natural language processing.

  • Scalability for larger lunar operations, supporting more bots & tasks.