37 research outputs found
What makes a robot social? A review of social robots from science fiction to a home or hospital near you
Purpose of Review:
We provide an outlook on the definitions, laboratory research, and applications of social robots, with an aim to understand what makes a robot socialâin the eyes of science and the general public.
Recent Findings:
Social robots demonstrate their potential when deployed within contexts appropriate to their form and functions. Some examples include companions for the elderly and cognitively impaired individuals, robots within educational settings, and as tools to support cognitive and behavioural change interventions.
Summary:
Science fiction has inspired us to conceive of a future with autonomous robots helping with every aspect of our daily lives, although the robots we are familiar with through film and literature remain a vision of the distant future. While there are still miles to go before robots become a regular feature within our social spaces, rapid progress in social robotics research, aided by the social sciences, is helping to move us closer to this reality
Designing companions, designing tools : social robots, developers, and the elderly in Japan
Ce mĂ©moire de maĂźtrise trace la gĂ©nĂ©alogie dâun robot social, de sa conception Ă ses diffĂ©rentes utilisations et la maniĂšre dont les utilisateurs interagissent avec. A partir dâun terrain de six mois dans une start-up et deux maisons de retraite au Japon, jâinterroge la crĂ©ation de Pepper, un robot social crĂ©e par la compagnie japonais SoftBank. Pepper a Ă©tĂ© crĂ©Ă© de façon Ă ĂȘtre humanoĂŻde mais pas trop, ainsi que perçu comme adorable et charmant. Par la suite, je dĂ©cris comment Pepper et dâautres robots sociaux sont utilisĂ©s, Ă la fois par des dĂ©veloppeurs, mais aussi par des personnes ĂągĂ©es, et je souligne une tension existante entre leur utilisation comme des compagnons et des outils. En me basant sur lâanthropologie ontologique et la phĂ©nomĂ©nologie, jâexamine la construction du robot comme une entitĂ© avec laquelle il est possible dâinteragir, notamment Ă cause de sa conception en tant quâacteur social, ontologiquement ambigu, et qui peut exprimer de lâaffect. En mâintĂ©ressant aux interactions multimodales, et en particulier le toucher, je classifie trois fonctions remplies par lâinteraction : dĂ©couverte, contrĂŽle, et lâexpression de lâaffect. Par la suite, je questionne ces actes dâagir vers et sâils peuvent ĂȘtre compris comme une interaction, puisquâils nâimpliquent pas que le robot soit engagĂ©. Jâargumente quâune interaction est un Ă©change de sens entre des agents engagĂ©s et incarnĂ©s. Il y a effectivement parfois un Ă©change de sens entre le robot et son utilisateur, et le robot est un artefact incarnĂ©. Cependant, seule lâimpression dâintersubjectivitĂ© est nĂ©cessaire Ă lâinteraction, plutĂŽt que sa rĂ©elle prĂ©sence.This masterâs thesis traces a genealogy of a social robot through its conception to its various uses and the ways users interact with it. Drawing on six months of fieldwork in a start-up and two nursing homes in Japan, I first investigate the genesis of a social robot created by SoftBank, a Japanese multinational telecommunications company. This social robot is quite humanlike, made to be cute and have an adorable personality. While developers constitute one of the user populations, this robot, along with several others, is also used by elderly residents in nursing homes. By analyzing the uses of these populations, I underline the tension between the social robot as a companion and a tool. Drawing on ontological anthropology and phenomenology I look at how the robot is constructed as an entity that can be interacted with, through its conception as an ontologically ambiguous, social actor, that can express affect. Looking at multimodal interaction, and especially touch, I then classify three functions they fulfill: discovery, control, and the expression of affect, before questioning whether this acting towards the robot that does not imply acting from the robot, can be considered a form of interaction. I argue that interaction is the exchange of meaning between embodied, engaged participants. Meaning can be exchanged between robots and humans and the robot can be seen as embodied, but only the appearance of intersubjectivity is enough, rather than its actual presence
More Than Machines?
We know that robots are just machines. Why then do we often talk about them as if they were alive? Laura Voss explores this fascinating phenomenon, providing a rich insight into practices of animacy (and inanimacy) attribution to robot technology: from science-fiction to robotics R&D, from science communication to media discourse, and from the theoretical perspectives of STS to the cognitive sciences. Taking an interdisciplinary perspective, and backed by a wealth of empirical material, Voss shows how scientists, engineers, journalists - and everyone else - can face the challenge of robot technology appearing »a little bit alive« with a reflexive and yet pragmatic stance
More Than Machines? The Attribution of (In)Animacy to Robot Technology
We know that robots are just machines. Why then do we often talk about them as if they were alive? The author explores this fascinating phenomenon, providing a rich insight into practices of animacy (and inanimacy) attribution to robot technology: from science-fiction to robotics R&D, from science communication to media discourse, and from the theoretical perspectives of STS to the cognitive sciences. Taking an interdisciplinary perspective, and backed by a wealth of empirical material, the author shows how scientists, engineers, journalists - and everyone else - can face the challenge of robot technology appearing "a little bit alive" with a reflexive and yet pragmatic stance
RAPP: A Robotic-Oriented Ecosystem for Delivering Smart User Empowering Applications for Older People
International audienceIt is a general truth that increase of age is associated with a level of mental and physical decline but unfortunately the former are often accompanied by social exclusion leading to marginalization and eventually further acceleration of the aging process. A new approach in alleviating the social exclusion of older people involves the use of assistive robots. As robots rapidly invade everyday life, the need of new software paradigms in order to address the user's unique needs becomes critical. In this paper we present a novel architectural design, the RAPP [a software platform to deliver smart, user empowering robotic applications (RApps)] framework that attempts to address this issue. The proposed framework has been designed in a cloud-based approach, integrating robotic devices and their respective applications. We aim to facilitate seamless development of RApps compatible with a wide range of supported robots and available to the public through a unified online store
More Than Machines?
We know that robots are just machines. Why then do we often talk about them as if they were alive? Laura Voss explores this fascinating phenomenon, providing a rich insight into practices of animacy (and inanimacy) attribution to robot technology: from science-fiction to robotics R&D, from science communication to media discourse, and from the theoretical perspectives of STS to the cognitive sciences. Taking an interdisciplinary perspective, and backed by a wealth of empirical material, Voss shows how scientists, engineers, journalists - and everyone else - can face the challenge of robot technology appearing »a little bit alive« with a reflexive and yet pragmatic stance
The Mood of the Silver Economy: A Data Science Analysis of the Mood States of Older Adults and the Implications on their Wellbeing
For the first time in the history of humanity, the
number of people over 65 surpassed those under 5 in 2018. Undoubtedly, older people will play a significant role in the future of the economy and society in general, and technological innovation will be indispensable to support them. Thus, we were interested in learning how home automation could enable older people to live independently for longer. To better understand this, we held focus groups with UK senior citizens in 2021, and we analyzed the data derived from them from the perspective of affective computing. We have trained a machine learning classifier capable of distinguishing moods commonly associated with older adults. We have identified depression, sadness and anger as the most prominent mood states conveyed in our focus groups. Our practical insights can aid the design of strategic choices concerning the wellbeing of the ageing population
HumanâRobot companionship: A mixed-methods investigation
In recent years, the arts have brought robots to life in spectacular fashion. In popular fiction we have been presented with machines that can run, leap, fight, and (perhaps most impressively of all) robots which can ascend stairs with absolutely no trouble at all. Amidst these chaotic and often dystopian scenes, we are exposed to moments of humour and lightness â robots can be seen engaging in conversation, cracking jokes, and comforting someone in their time of need. In these relatively mundane moments (as we smile, laugh, and cry) the impression emerges that the robot is something special to the person depicted. Rather than simply being a household appliance, it appears to be something more: a sort of⊠friend.
Returning from the pages and screens of fiction to the real world, we find human society ever more fractured, and the loneliness epidemic at large. Unsurprisingly, given the engaging depictions in popular fiction, the idea of robots for companionship and social support is gaining traction and garnering increasing research attention. In care homes, robot animals can be found cooing and purring in the laps of individuals with dementia, while in schools, friendly humanoid robots may be seen teaching social skills to children with additional needs. What remains unknown, though, is the extent to which people will grow fond of such âsocial robotsâ over time, and if so, whether their relationships with these machines might ever resemble (or indeed, replace) those with other humans. Is a ârobot friendâ the stuff of science-fiction, or could it someday soon become sciencereality? In this thesis, this question is explored from a range of perspectives using a variety of methods spanning lab-based experiments, online surveys, and focus groups.
This thesis begins with an introduction to social robots, and an exploration of the background regarding the nature and importance of human social relationships. After introducing relevant theories, I highlight gaps in our understanding of humanârobot companionship that I seek to explore through this thesis (Chapter 1). In the subsequent chapters, I present four empirical pieces of work, each offering a unique perspective on the subject. Specifically, in Chapter 2, I report results from a lab-based experiment in which a robotâs lights (located within its shoulders) were programmed to illuminate in a synchronous or asynchronous manner relative to a participantâs heart rate. I aimed to determine whether such a synchrony manipulation might increase prosocial behaviours and improve attitudes towards a social robot - based on prior work showing that experimentally-induced movement synchrony can improve rapport between people, and increase their liking of social robots (Hove & Risen, 2009; Lehmann et al., 2015, Mogan, Fischer & Bulbulia, 2017). Despite demonstrating no positive effect of the light manipulation, this study raises important questions regarding the complexities of defining and measuring attachment to a robot. In Chapter 3, I delve deeper into the qualitative data collected in Chapter 2 to build a more complete appreciation of the value of open questions â particularly in terms of method validation and understanding participantsâ internal experiences.
After this chapter, I shift perspective from a focus on humanoid robots (and manipulations based on human social behaviours), to human relationships with non-human companion animals. This shift was motivated by my desire to explore how non-human agents form deep and enduring social bonds with humans â as opposed to basing the thesis on human interpersonal relationships alone.
Due to the success of dogs as companions, I conducted a study in which dog owners were asked to identify behaviours that they perceived as important to the bond with their dog (Chapter 4). Seven key themes emerged from this research, indicating the importance of attunement, communication, consistency and predictability, physical affection, positivity and enthusiasm, proximity, and shared activities. In the following chapter, I implement a selection of âdesirableâ dog behaviours within an animal-inspired robot (Chapter 5). By showing the behaviours to members of the general public, and conducting focus groups, I gained deeper insights into the polarising nature of robot animals â not only in terms of how their behaviours are perceived, but also in terms of the roles people think robots should (and should not) hold. In addition to these themes, this final empirical chapter discusses insights regarding the high expectations people place upon robots, as well as public concerns around overdependence on robots, and privacy.
By releasing these chapters to the HRI community (through publications or preprints) we sparked conversations within the HRI community â not only about the ethics of robot abuse studies, but also the potential value of qualitative approaches within the field. Our team was commended for publishing qualitative research, in a field heavily dominated by quantitative methods, and we have since been working to continue the conversations around the value of qualitative approaches. Specifically, we hosted the âEnriching HRI Research with Qualitative Methodsâ workshop at the International Journal on Social Robotics (2020) and launched a âQualitative Research in HRI/HCI Discussion Groupâ online - allowing HRI researchers to discuss their work, and share relevant resources (e.g., events and publications).
This thesis concludes by detailing work to be done moving forwards, to enhance our understanding of humanârobot social relationships, and a broader discussion of our possible future with social robots (Chapter 6). Pulling from various disciplines (including psychology, cognitive science, humanârobot interaction (HRI) Studies, robot ethics, and philosophy), this section concludes with consideration of potential consequences of companion technologies â not only for the individual, but perhaps for society as a whole, as we continue to grapple with questions concerning how much of science fiction we wish to welcome into our daily lives
âCan I be more social with a chatbot?â: social connectedness through interactions of autistic adults with a conversational virtual human
The development of AI to function as communicators (i.e. conversational agents), has opened the opportunity to rethink AIâs place within peopleâs social worlds, and the process of sense-making between humans and machines, especially for people with autism who may stand to benefit from such interactions. The current study aims to explore the interactions of six autistic and six non-autistic adults with a conversational virtual human (CVH/conversational agent/chatbot) over 1-4 weeks. Using semi-structured interviews, conversational chatlogs and post-study online questionnaires, we present findings related to human-chatbot interaction, chatbot humanization/dehumanization and chatbotâs autistic/non-autistic traits through thematic analysis. Findings suggest that although autistic users are willing to converse with the chatbot, there are no indications of relationship development with the chatbot. Our analysis also highlighted autistic usersâ expectations of empathy from the chatbot. In the case of the non-autistic users, they tried to stretch the conversational agentâs abilities by continuously testing the AI conversational/cognitive skills. Moreover, non-autistic users were content with Kukiâs basic conversational skills, while on the contrary, autistic participants expected more in-depth conversations, as they trusted Kuki more. The findings offer insights to a new human-chatbot interaction model specifically for users with autism with a view to supporting them via companionship and social connectedness
Sustainable Technology and Elderly Life
The coming years will see an exponential increase in the proportion of elderly people in our society. This accelerated growth brings with it major challenges in relation to the sustainability of the system. There are different aspects where these changes will have a special incidence: health systems and their monitoring; the development of a framework in which the elderly can develop their daily lives satisfactorily; and in the design of intelligent cities adapted to the future sociodemographic profile. The discussion of the challenges faced, together with the current technological evolution, can show possible ways of meeting the challenges. There are different aspects where these changes will have a special incidence: health systems and their monitoring; the development of a framework in which the elderly can develop their daily lives satisfactorily; and in the design of intelligent cities adapted to the future sociodemographic profile. This special issue discusses various ways in which sustainable technologies can be applied to improve the lives of the elderly. Six articles on the subject are featured in this volume. From a systematic review of the literature to the development of gamification and health improvement projects. The articles present suggestive proposals for the improvement of the lives of the elderly. The volume is a resource of interest for the scientific community, since it shows different research gaps in the current state of the art. But it is also a document that can help social policy makers and people working in this domain to planning successful projects