scholarly journals Assistive technology design and development for acceptable robotics companions for ageing years

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Farshid Amirabdollahian ◽  
Rieks op den Akker ◽  
Sandra Bedaf ◽  
Richard Bormann ◽  
Heather Draper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Home Environment ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Sensor Arrays ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Technology Design ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Smart Home Environment ◽  
Technological Integration

AbstractA new stream of research and development responds to changes in life expectancy across the world. It includes technologies which enhance well-being of individuals, specifically for older people. The ACCOMPANY project focuses on home companion technologies and issues surrounding technology development for assistive purposes. The project responds to some overlooked aspects of technology design, divided into multiple areas such as empathic and social human-robot interaction, robot learning and memory visualisation, and monitoring persons’ activities at home. To bring these aspects together, a dedicated task is identified to ensure technological integration of these multiple approaches on an existing robotic platform, Care-O-Bot®3 in the context of a smart-home environment utilising a multitude of sensor arrays. Formative and summative evaluation cycles are then used to assess the emerging prototype towards identifying acceptable behaviours and roles for the robot, for example role as a butler or a trainer, while also comparing user requirements to achieved progress. In a novel approach, the project considers ethical concerns and by highlighting principles such as autonomy, independence, enablement, safety and privacy, it embarks on providing a discussion medium where user views on these principles and the existing tension between some of these principles, for example tension between privacy and autonomy over safety, can be captured and considered in design cycles and throughout project developments.

scholarly journals A narrative approach to human-robot interaction prototyping for companion robots

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-85
Author(s):  
Kheng Lee Koay ◽  
Dag Sverre Syrdal ◽  
Kerstin Dautenhahn ◽  
Michael L. Walters
Keyword(s):  
Home Environment ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Human Interactions ◽  
Smart Home Environment ◽  
Home Robot ◽  
Meaningful Interaction ◽  
Companion Robots ◽  
Robotic Agent ◽  
Robot Companions

AbstractThis paper presents a proof of concept prototype study for domestic home robot companions, using a narrative-based methodology based on the principles of immersive engagement and fictional enquiry, creating scenarios which are inter-connected through a coherent narrative arc, to encourage participant immersion within a realistic setting. The aim was to ground human interactions with this technology in a coherent, meaningful experience. Nine participants interacted with a robotic agent in a smart home environment twice a week over a month, with each interaction framed within a greater narrative arc. Participant responses, both to the scenarios and the robotic agents used within them are discussed, suggesting that the prototyping methodology was successful in conveying a meaningful interaction experience.

scholarly journals Should my robot know what's best for me? Human–robot interaction between user experience and ethical design

AI & Society ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nora Fronemann ◽  
Kathrin Pollmann ◽  
Wulf Loh
Keyword(s):  
User Experience ◽  
Interaction Design ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Design Principles ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Original Design ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Ethical Design

AbstractTo integrate social robots in real-life contexts, it is crucial that they are accepted by the users. Acceptance is not only related to the functionality of the robot but also strongly depends on how the user experiences the interaction. Established design principles from usability and user experience research can be applied to the realm of human–robot interaction, to design robot behavior for the comfort and well-being of the user. Focusing the design on these aspects alone, however, comes with certain ethical challenges, especially regarding the user’s privacy and autonomy. Based on an example scenario of human–robot interaction in elder care, this paper discusses how established design principles can be used in social robotic design. It then juxtaposes these with ethical considerations such as privacy and user autonomy. Combining user experience and ethical perspectives, we propose adjustments to the original design principles and canvass our own design recommendations for a positive and ethically acceptable social human–robot interaction design. In doing so, we show that positive user experience and ethical design may be sometimes at odds, but can be reconciled in many cases, if designers are willing to adjust and amend time-tested design principles.

scholarly journals Reports of the AAAI 2016 Spring Symposium Series

AI Magazine ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 83-88
Author(s):  
Christopher Amato ◽  
Ofra Amir ◽  
Joanna Bryson ◽  
Barbara Grosz ◽  
Bipin Indurkhya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Intelligent Systems ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Human Error ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Symposium Series ◽  
Research Platform ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

The Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, in cooperation with Stanford University's Department of Computer Science, presented the 2016 Spring Symposium Series on Monday through Wednesday, March 21-23, 2016 at Stanford University. The titles of the seven symposia were (1) AI and the Mitigation of Human Error: Anomalies, Team Metrics and Thermodynamics; (2) Challenges and Opportunities in Multiagent Learning for the Real World (3) Enabling Computing Research in Socially Intelligent Human-Robot Interaction: A Community-Driven Modular Research Platform; (4) Ethical and Moral Considerations in Non-Human Agents; (5) Intelligent Systems for Supporting Distributed Human Teamwork; (6) Observational Studies through Social Media and Other Human-Generated Content, and (7) Well-Being Computing: AI Meets Health and Happiness Science.

Organic Piezoresistive Pressure Sensitive Robotic Skin for Physical Human-Robot Interaction

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danming Wei ◽  
Ruoshi Zhang ◽  
Mohammad N. Saadatzi ◽  
Olalekan O. Olowo ◽  
Dan O. Popa
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Sensor Arrays ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Organic Polymer ◽  
Load Testing ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Integrated Sensor ◽  
Pressure Sensitive ◽  
Lamination Process ◽  
Skin Pressure

Abstract Pressure sensitive robotic skins have long been investigated for applications to physical human-robot interaction (pHRI). Numerous challenges related to fabrication, sensitivity, density, and reliability remain to be addressed under various environmental and use conditions. In our previous studies, we designed novel strain gauge sensor structures for robotic skin arrays. We coated these star-shaped designs with an organic polymer piezoresistive material, Poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-ploy(styrenesulfonate) or PEDOT: PSS and integrated sensor arrays into elastomer robotic skins. In this paper, we describe a dry etching photolithographic method to create a stable uniform sensor layer of PEDOT:PSS onto star-shaped sensors and a lamination process for creating double-sided robotic skins that can be used with temperature compensation. An integrated circuit and load testing apparatus was designed for testing the resulting robotic skin pressure performance. Experiments were conducted to measure the loading performance of the resulting sensor prototypes and results indicate that over 80% sensor yields are possible with this fabrication process.

scholarly journals Use and usability of software verification methods to detect behaviour interference when teaching an assistive home companion robot: A proof-of-concept study

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 402-422
Author(s):  
Kheng Lee Koay ◽  
Matt Webster ◽  
Clare Dixon ◽  
Paul Gainer ◽  
Dag Syrdal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Software Verification ◽  
User Study ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Teaching System ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Verification Methods ◽  
Smart Home Environment ◽  
Formal Behaviour

Abstract When studying the use of assistive robots in home environments, and especially how such robots can be personalised to meet the needs of the resident, key concerns are issues related to behaviour verification, behaviour interference and safety. Here, personalisation refers to the teaching of new robot behaviours by both technical and non-technical end users. In this article, we consider the issue of behaviour interference caused by situations where newly taught robot behaviours may affect or be affected by existing behaviours and thus, those behaviours will not or might not ever be executed. We focus in particular on how such situations can be detected and presented to the user. We describe the human–robot behaviour teaching system that we developed as well as the formal behaviour checking methods used. The online use of behaviour checking is demonstrated, based on static analysis of behaviours during the operation of the robot, and evaluated in a user study. We conducted a proof-of-concept human–robot interaction study with an autonomous, multi-purpose robot operating within a smart home environment. Twenty participants individually taught the robot behaviours according to instructions they were given, some of which caused interference with other behaviours. A mechanism for detecting behaviour interference provided feedback to participants and suggestions on how to resolve those conflicts. We assessed the participants’ views on detected interference as reported by the behaviour teaching system. Results indicate that interference warnings given to participants during teaching provoked an understanding of the issue. We did not find a significant influence of participants’ technical background. These results highlight a promising path towards verification and validation of assistive home companion robots that allow end-user personalisation.

scholarly journals Robot Compatible Environment and Conditions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zita V. Farkas ◽  
Gergely Nádas ◽  
 József Kolossa ◽  
Péter Korondi
Keyword(s):  
Social Acceptance ◽  
Indoor Localization ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Service Robot ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Fast Pace

Service robot technology is progressing at a fast pace. Accurate robot-friendly indoor localization and harmonization of built environ-ment in alignment with digital, physical, and social environment becomes emphasized. This paper proposes the novel approach of Robot Compatible Environment (RCE) within the architectural space. Evolution of service robotics in connection with civil engineering and architecture is discussed, whereas optimum performance is to be achieved based on robots’ capabilities and spatial affordances. For ubiquitous and safe human-robot interaction, robots are to be integrated into the living environment. The aim of the research is to highlight solutions for various interconnected challenges within the built environment. Our goal is to reach findings on comparison of robotic and accessibility standards, synthesis of navigation, access to information and social acceptance. Checklists, recommendations, and design process are introduced within the RCE framework, proposing a holistic approach.

scholarly journals A critical analysis of the representations of older adults in the field of human–robot interaction

AI & Society ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dafna Burema
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Social Robots ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Socially Constructed ◽  
Academic Publications ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Welfare State

AbstractThis paper argues that there is a need to critically assess bias in the representations of older adults in the field of Human–Robot Interaction. This need stems from the recognition that technology development is a socially constructed process that has the potential to reinforce problematic understandings of older adults. Based on a qualitative content analysis of 96 academic publications, this paper indicates that older adults are represented as; frail by default, independent by effort; silent and technologically illiterate; burdensome; and problematic for society. Within these documents, few counternarratives are present that do not take such essentialist representations. In these texts, the goal of social robots in elder care is to “enable” older adults to “better” themselves. The older body is seen as “fixable” with social robots, reinforcing an ageist and neoliberal narrative: older adults are reduced to potential care receivers in ways that shift care responsibilities away from the welfare state onto the individual.

scholarly journals Impact of human-robot interaction on user satisfaction with humanoid-based healthcare

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2.12) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Ohbyung Kwon ◽  
Jeonghun Kim ◽  
Yoonsun Jin ◽  
Namyeon Lee
Keyword(s):  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Healthcare Service ◽  
Empirical Test ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Self Service ◽  
Self Service Technology

Background/Objectives: The advent of self-service technology (SST) (e.g.,kiosks and Automatic Response System), has made it possible for service providersto make use of non-face-to-face channels to meet users’needs and decrease users’costs and time. On the other hand, however, more complex technology and/or services inhibit users’ satisfaction and,consequently,the intention to adopt SST, because such SST can instill fear in users. Nevertheless, at present, patients and other people who are interested in their own health and well-being are paying great attention to healthcare robots (as a form of SST)and,consequently, it has become crucial to investigate how these healthcare robots can positively influence users’ satisfaction with them. Hence, this study aims to empirically investigate the factors that affect users’ satisfaction with healthcare robots, especially in regard to human-robot interaction (HRI).Methods/Statistical analysis: We focused on the theory of heterophily and applied a series of factors identified in previous robot-adoption studies.Uniquely, this study focuses on users’ heterophily with healthcare robots, examining heterophily through three fundamental elements, empathy, professionalism, and personality, which we considered to be suitable fordetermining user satisfaction with HRI-based communication.To prove the validity of our hypotheses, we conducted an empirical testthat involved participants receiving a short health assessment from a robot.Findings: The findings of our empirical test supported our hypothesis that the lower the difference in empathy between a user and robot, the higher the level of user satisfaction with the humanoid-style healthcare service. Further, our results also suggest that heterogeneity between a user and healthcare robot is positively associated with user satisfaction.Improvements/Applications: First, to increase user satisfaction,robots must be provided with the ability to somehow recognizea user’s personality and adjust their own accordingly before beginning the robot-based healthcare service. Secondly, users’ behavior patterns should be analyzed by the healthcare robot. Overall, our study empirically shows the importance of ensuring thatprofessionalism is present in healthcare-domain-related HRI.  

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