MotionBuddy: Exploring Tactile-Based Motion Learning with a Tabletop Humanoid Robot for Blind People

Blind people face persistent challenges in learning body movements such as exercise, dance, and rehabilitation routines. Verbal instructions are widely used but often ambiguous, while tactile graphics or 3D models can illustrate static postures but not transitions. Humanoid robots can present dynamic motions, suggesting potential to convey trajectories and simultaneous limb actions. We conducted an exploratory study with 11 blind participants comparing humanoid robot demonstrations with audio instructions. Quantitative evaluation assessed reproduction accuracy, learning time, and usability ratings, while qualitative interviews captured perceived benefits and challenges. Results show that simple movements could be conveyed through both modalities, but robots were particularly effective for complex transitions and concurrent limb coordination that audio could not easily express. These findings highlight design opportunities for integrating multimodal instruction to support movement learning for blind people.