Robotic creature and method of operation

A method for responding to a technological imperfection associated with a task of a robot, comprising:

• at a command time, receiving a command to travel to an endpoint location;
• detecting a delocalization event within a predetermined time window of the command time;
• in response to delocalization event detection:
• performing a data-acquiring action, comprising sampling a feature of an ambient environment using a location sensor on-board the robot over a predetermined time period;
• and
• concurrently performing an expressive action over the predetermined time period;
• determining a robot location based on the feature and a predetermined internal map, the internal map comprising the endpoint location;
• generating navigation instructions to the endpoint location based on the robot location and the internal map;
• controlling the robot to traverse through the ambient environment based on the navigation instructions;
• during robot traversal through the ambient environment based on the navigation instructions, detecting a collision between a front bumper of the robot and an external obstacle;
• in response to collision detection, performing a second expressive action, comprising actuating a head of the robot downward toward the external obstacle and reversing away from the external obstacle;
• generating secondary navigation instructions based on an obstacle location, determined based on the detected collision;
• and
• controlling the robot to traverse though the ambient environment based on the secondary navigation instructions.