What makes a social robot good at interacting with humans?

This paper discusses the nuances of a social robot, how and why social robots are becoming increasingly significant, and what they are currently being used for. This paper also reflects on the current design of social robots as a means of interaction with humans and also reports potential solutions about several important questions around the futuristic design of these robots. The specific questions explored in this paper are: “Do social robots need to look like living creatures that already exist in the world for humans to interact well with them?”; “Do social robots need to have animated faces for humans to interact well with them?”; “Do social robots need to have the ability to speak a coherent human language for humans to interact well with them?” and “Do social robots need to have the capability to make physical gestures for humans to interact well with them?”. This paper reviews both verbal as well as nonverbal social and conversational cues that could be incorporated into the design of social robots, and also briefly discusses the emotional bonds that may be built between humans and robots. Facets surrounding acceptance of social robots by humans and also ethical/moral concerns have also been discussed

What makes a social robot good at interacting with humans?

This paper discusses the nuances of a social robot, how and why social robots are becoming increasingly significant, and what they are currently being used for. This paper also reflects on the current design of social robots as a means of interaction with humans and also reports potential solutions about several important questions around the futuristic design of these robots. The specific questions explored in this paper are: “Do social robots need to look like living creatures that already exist in the world for humans to interact well with them?”; “Do social robots need to have animated faces for humans to interact well with them?”; “Do social robots need to have the ability to speak a coherent human language for humans to interact well with them?” and “Do social robots need to have the capability to make physical gestures for humans to interact well with them?”. This paper reviews both verbal as well as nonverbal social and conversational cues that could be incorporated into the design of social robots, and also briefly discusses the emotional bonds that may be built between humans and robots. Facets surrounding acceptance of social robots by humans and also ethical/moral concerns have also been discussed

Your New Best Friends: An Exploration of Furby, Siri, and Other Sociable Electronics

Your New Best Friends: An Exploration of Furby, Siri and Other Sociable Electronics is focused around interactive electronic systems and the effect these systems can have on our human psyches. My work focuses on two particular periods of development: the late 80’s to early 90’s, and the 2010’s to present. One period represents my childhood and the other my early adulthood. By comparing the two I can examine trends in the ways we engage with robotics and can better understand the ubiquity of electronically mediated interactions today. I utilize these new understandings to manipulate the capabilities of devices from both periods to create pieces that communicate care in a new way, sparking a moment of joy for the viewer while also increasing the awareness of the failings of devices when compared with true human interaction

Factors Influencing Service Robot Adoption: A Comparative Analysis of Hotel-Specific Service Robot Acceptance Models

The market for service robots is expected to expand significantly owing to the increasing relevance of service automation under the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the growing managerial interest in robotic applications in the hotel industry, current robotic research has been mostly conceptual with limited robot data on hand. In light of this issue, this paper will conduct a comparative analysis of hotel-specific service robot acceptance models between the Service Robot Acceptance Model (sRAM) and the Service Robot Integration Willingness (SRIW) framework. By identifying key elements of each service robot acceptance model, this paper puts an emphasis on investigating the impact of anthropomorphism on the guest acceptance of service robots. The findings of this paper contribute to the existing service robot research and provide valuable insights for hoteliers who are seeking to stay competitive to keep up with technological transitions

Advancements in AI-driven multilingual comprehension for social robot interactions: An extensive review

In the digital era, human-robot interaction is rapidly expanding, emphasizing the need for social robots to fluently understand and communicate in multiple languages. It is not merely about decoding words but about establishing connections and building trust. However, many current social robots are limited to popular languages, serving in fields like language teaching, healthcare and companionship. This review examines the AI-driven language abilities in social robots, providing a detailed overview of their applications and the challenges faced, from nuanced linguistic understanding to data quality and cultural adaptability. Last, we discuss the future of integrating advanced language models in robots to move beyond basic interactions and towards deeper emotional connections. Through this endeavor, we hope to provide a beacon for researchers, steering them towards a path where linguistic adeptness in robots is seamlessly melded with their capacity for genuine emotional engagement

Ohjeistus opetusympäristössä toimivan robotin ulkonäön suunnitteluun

Robotiikka on kehittynyt ajansaatossa teollisuusympäristöissä käytetyistä roboteista kohti älyrobotteja, jotka toimivat itsenäisesti, kykenevät keräämään tietoa, havainnoimaan ja toimimaan samassa ympäristössä ihmisen kanssa sekä kommunikoimaan ihmisen ja ympäristön kanssa. Ihmisen ja robotin välisen vuorovaikutuksen (eng. human-robot interaction, HRI) tutkimusalue pyrkii ymmärtämään, suunnittelemaan ja arvioimaan robottisysteemiä, jota ihminen käyttää. Yksi merkitsevä tekijä ihmisen ja robotin vuorovaikutuksessa on robotin ulkonäkö. Lisäksi teknologian ja opetusinfrastruktuurin kehitys on johtanut siihen, että nykypäivän oppimisympäristössä on mahdollista hyödyntää erilaisia robotteja eri opetusmenetelmissä ja rooleissa. Tämän pro gradu -tutkimuksen tavoitteena on selvittää kuinka robotin ulkonäkö vaikuttaa ihmisen ja robotin väliseen vuorovaikutukseen (HRI) oppimistilanteessa opiskelijan näkökulmasta. Tavoitteen saavuttamiseksi työssä käytettiin suunnittelutieteellistä tutkimusmenetelmää ja -prosessimallia, jonka seurauksena syntyi IT-artefakti eli suunnitteluohje. Suunnitteluohjeen avulla voidaan suunnitella robotin ulkonäkö opetusympäristöön. Tutkimuksen teoreettinen viitekehys sisältää johdattelun ihmisen ja robotin väliseen vuorovaikutukseen sekä siihen vaikuttavista tekijöistä. Erityisesti viitekehys kohdistuu robotin ulkonäön merkityksestä edellä mainittuun vuorovaikutukseen. Tämän lisäksi teoreettisessa viitekehyksessä tutustutaan jo opetuskäytössä käytettyjen robottien ulkonäköön ja rooleihin, joita kyseiset robotit ovat suorittaneet opetusympäristössä. Suunnitteluohjetta varten on kerätty aineistoa opiskelijahaastatteluin (n=10) ja aikaisemmista tutkimuksista, joissa on käytetty robotteja opetusympäristössä. Aikaisemmissa opetusrobotteihin liittyvissä tutkimuksissa käytetyt robotit ovat eronneet ulkonäöllisesti toisistaan. Myös opiskelijahaastatteluissa ilmeni, että erilaisiin opetustilanteisiin kuvaillut robotit erosivat ulkonäöllisesti toisistaan, vaikka ne sisälsivät myös yhtäläisyyksiä muihin opetustilanteisiin kuvattujen robottien kanssa. Opiskelijahaastatteluiden perusteella merkittävimpinä ulkoisina ominaisuuksina opetusmenetelmästä riippumatta opetusroboteille nähdään yläruumiin raajat, kuten pää, kasvot ja kädet, joiden tulee toimia osana opiskelijan ja robotin välistä vuorovaikutusta. Myös puhe nähdään merkittävänä tekijänä vaikkakin se ei suoraan ole osa robotin ulkonäköä. Merkittävin eroavaisuus robottien ulkonäölle ja kyvylle opetusmenetelmien välillä oli liikkeen puuttuminen eri robottien välillä. Kirjallisuudesta on mahdollista huomata, että liialliset ihmispiirteet robotissa voi aiheuttaa ihmisissä robottia välttävää käytöstä. Tämä havainto voidaan osittain myös todentaa opiskelijoiden kuvailemien robottien avulla. Tutkimuksen tuloksena syntyy 7 vaiheinen suunnitteluohje, jota demonstroidaan luomalla prototyyppi opetusrobotista

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

The Role of Peer Leaders in the Promotion of Physical Activity, Health and Psychological Wellbeing in Older Adults

The results of this thesis highlight the potential of using peers (i.e., similar-aged individuals) to lead walking groups for promoting physical activity and health in older adults. Results inform on the benefits of regularly walking with peers, the factors affecting the retention of peer volunteers, and on effective peer leadership attributes and behaviours. Recommendations for future peer-led intervention design and policy are provided