Robots in Eldercare: How Does a Real-World Interaction with the Machine Influence the Perceptions of Older People?
[ 1 ] Instytut Robotyki i Inteligencji Maszynowej, Wydział Automatyki, Robotyki i Elektrotechniki, Politechnika Poznańska | [ P ] employee
[2.2] Automation, electronics, electrical engineering and space technology
2022
scientific article
english
- social robot
- elderly
- care
- human-machine interaction
- acceptance
EN Background: Using autonomous social robots in selected areas of care for community-dwelling older adults is one of the promising approaches to address the problem of the widening care gap. We posed the question of whether a possibility to interact with the technology to be used had an impact on the scores given by the respondents in various domains of needs and requirements for social robots to be deployed in care for older individuals. (2) Methods: During the study, the opinions of older people (65+; n = 113; with no severe cognitive impairment) living in six social care institutions about a robot in care for older people were collected twice using the Users’ Needs, Requirements and Abilities Questionnaire (UNRAQ): after seeing a photo of the robot only and after a 90–150 min interaction with the TIAGo robot. (3) Results: Mean total scores for both assistive and social functions were higher after the interaction (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between opinion changes in social and assistive functions (r = 0.4842; p = 0.0000). (4) Conclusions: Preimplementation studies and assessments should include the possibility to interact with the robot to provide its future users with a clear idea of the technology and facilitate necessary customisations of the machine.
22.02.2022
1717-1 - 1717-11
Article number: 1717
CC BY (attribution alone)
open journal
final published version
22.02.2022
at the time of publication
public
100
3,9