Group interactions are essential to social functioning, yet effective engagement relies on the ability to recognize and interpret visual cues, making such engagement a significant challenge for blind people. In this paper, we investigate how a mobile robot can support group interactions for blind people. We used the scenario of a guided tour with mixed-visual groups involving blind and sighted visitors. Based on insights from an interview study with blind people (n=5) and museum experts (n=5), we designed and prototyped a robotic system that supported blind visitors to join group tours. We conducted a field study in a science museum where each blind participant (n=8) joined a group tour with one guide and two sighted participants (n=8). Findings indicated users' sense of safety from the robot's navigational support, concerns in the group participation, and preferences for obtaining environmental information. We present design implications for future robotic systems to support blind people's mixed-visual group participation.

翻译：群体互动对于社会功能至关重要，然而有效的参与依赖于识别和解读视觉线索的能力，这使得此类参与对盲人构成重大挑战。本文研究移动机器人如何支持盲人的群体互动。我们以包含盲人和视力正常游客的混合视觉团体导览场景为例。基于对盲人（n=5）和博物馆专家（n=5）的访谈研究见解，我们设计并原型开发了一个支持盲人游客加入团体导览的机器人系统。我们在一个科学博物馆进行了实地研究，每位盲人参与者（n=8）与一名导游和两名视力正常参与者（n=8）共同参加团体导览。研究结果表明：用户从机器人导航支持中获得了安全感，在团体参与中存在顾虑，并对获取环境信息的方式存在偏好。我们提出了未来机器人系统支持盲人参与混合视觉团体活动的设计启示。