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Interaction between the healthy elderly and robots: How to design an entertainment robot?

Thünnesen, Wiebke (2013) Interaction between the healthy elderly and robots: How to design an entertainment robot?

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Abstract:The aim of the study is to identify acceptability requirements which produce guidelines for designing a robot which can improve the quality of life of the healthy elderly. Entertainment and therapy robots already exist and show positive effects on elderly persons coping with dementia who are living in a nursing home. However, there is no research that tested the effectiveness of entertainment robots concerning the elderly who live independently at home. Since it is important that the elderly accept the robot, a suitable entertainment robot needs to be designed before the effectiveness can be tested. Within the present experiment two different robots were used. Participants (N=12) had to think aloud through a five-minute interaction with each robot. Furthermore, the subjects were asked to answer questions concerning the robot’s appearance, behavior, interaction and other required aspects. In addition the laugh frequency was monitored. The results show that there is no gender difference in relation to the evaluation of the two robots. No explicit robot design is preferred and the external design needs to be adapted to its future user. In relation towards the robot’s face the eyes should be big and move. The robot should use speech as the way of communication and demonstrate a diverse vocabulary. Additionally, spontaneous reaction to orders is required as well as movement variability. The most important aspect is the use of the robot. The robot should have some additional features which make it useful, for instance at household tasks.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:77 psychology
Programme:Psychology BSc (56604)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/64161
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