Do You Trust Social Robots? An Uncanny Valley Theory Perspective

Social robots have been increasingly popular during the past decade. Anthropomorphism is identified as a critical factor affecting social robots’ acceptance. A conceptual model is proposed to examine social robots’ user acceptance based on the theory of the uncanny valley. User perception of the anthropomorphism level (low, medium, and high) of social robots is proposed to affect users’ perceived uncanniness and humanness of social robots, which influences user trust in social robots, and user trust will lead to users’ intention to use social robots. The theoretical model will be empirically tested through an experiment conducted online targeting the hospitality industry. The study will contribute to social robotic acceptance literature by explaining how anthropomorphism affects user trust in social robots via perceived uncanniness and humanness, as well as how user trust influences user acceptance of social robots.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Can(’t) wait to have a robot at home? – Japanese and German users’ attitudes toward service robots in smart homes

Bernotat J, Eyssel FA. Can(’t) wait to have a robot at home? – Japanese and German users’ attitudes toward service robots in smart homes. In: Proceedings of the 27th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN). 2018: 15-22

Measuring the Perceived Social Intelligence of Robots

Robotic social intelligence is increasingly important. However, measures of human social intelligence omit basic skills, and robot-specific scales do not focus on social intelligence. We combined human robot interaction concepts of beliefs, desires, and intentions with psychology concepts of behaviors, cognitions, and emotions to create 20 Perceived Social Intelligence (PSI) Scales to comprehensively measure perceptions of robots with a wide range of embodiments and behaviors. Participants rated humanoid and non-humanoid robots interacting with people in five videos. Each scale had one factor and high internal consistency, indicating each measures a coherent construct. Scales capturing perceived social information processing skills (appearing to recognize, adapt to, and predict behaviors, cognitions, and emotions) and scales capturing perceived skills for identifying people (appearing to identify humans, individuals, and groups) correlated strongly with social competence and constituted the Mind and Behavior factors. Social presentation scales (appearing friendly, caring, helpful, trustworthy, and not rude, conceited, or hostile) relate more to Social Response to Robots Scales and Godspeed Indices, form a separate factor, and predict positive feelings about robots and wanting social interaction with them. For a comprehensive measure, researchers can use all PSI 20 scales for free. Alternatively, they can select the most relevant scales for their projects

<研究論文(原著論文)>日本人とロボット --テクノアニミズム論への批判

本稿は、京都生命倫理研究会2021年3月例会（2021年3月20日、オンライン）での発表「日本人とロボット --テクノアニミズム論への批判」に基づく。The implications any technology has on society depend not only on its intrinsic properties, but also on the cultural features of the society in which the technology is embedded. Therefore, when envisioning ethical norms for the introduction of social robots into society, we must consider the culture surrounding robots. It is often said that Japanese people have a unique cultural attitude toward artificial objects, including robots, that Westerners do not have. One of the frequently cited Japanese attitudes is “techno-animism, ” that is, the attitude of recognizing the “anima (魂)” of artificial objects and trying to establish an affinity with them, which is based on the religious background of animism. It is sometimes argued that the existence of such an attitude is Japan’s advantage in realizing a “human-machine co-existence society.” The “techno-animism theory, ” which praises techno-animism as an attitude peculiar to Japan, has gained widespread acceptance among fields including the Japanese robot community. In this paper, citing some findings of human-robot interaction and historical research on the relationship between humans and animalsthe environment, I examine the techno-animism theory by asking the following questions: “Is the Japanese people’s attitude toward robots animistic and friendly?”; “Is this attitude rooted in Japanese tradition?”; and “Is the animistic and friendly attitude toward robots suitable as the foundation of a human-machine co-existence society?” I conclude that the techno-animism theory is highly doubtful in all these respects. I also give a general consideration of the relationship between technology and culture, and make a suggestion on the image-building strategy the Japanese robot community should take

Machine Sensation

Emphasising the alien qualities of anthropomorphic technologies, Machine Sensation makes a conscious effort to increase rather than decrease the tension between nonhuman and human experience. In a series of rigorously executed cases studies, including natural user interfaces, artificial intelligence as well as sex robots, Leach shows how object-oriented ontology enables one to insist upon the unhuman nature of technology while acknowledging its immense power and significance in human life. Machine Sensation meticulously engages OOO, Actor Network Theory, the philosophy of technology, cybernetics and posthumanism in innovative and gripping ways

KEER2022

Avanttítol: KEER2022. DiversitiesDescripció del recurs: 25 juliol 202

Vertrauen in Roboter und dessen Beeinflussbarkeit durch sprachliches Framing

Collaborative robots (cobots) enable human-robot interactions in the workplace without safety fences. An appropriate level of trust by employees is critical to the success of these interactions. Anthropomorphic perceptions and fears of technological replacement affect trust formation. They can be influenced by linguistic framing, as this interdisciplinary empirical study shows

Vertrauen in Roboter und dessen Beeinflussbarkeit durch sprachliches Framing

Collaborative robots (cobots) enable human-robot interactions in the workplace without safety fences. An appropriate level of trust by employees is critical to the success of these interactions. Anthropomorphic perceptions and fears of technological replacement affect trust formation. They can be influenced by linguistic framing, as this interdisciplinary empirical study shows