Perception of Social Robots as Communication Partners in Healthcare for Older Adults
Hana Yamamoto, Carlotta Julia Mayer, Charlotte Raithel, Theresa Buchner, Christian Werner, Yasuhisa Hirata, Monika Eckstein, Katja Mombaur
AI summary
Problem
The global caregiver shortage drives interest in socially assistive robots, but it remains unclear whether older adults perceive them as effective communication partners compared to humans and how interaction design influences this acceptance.
Approach
Researchers compared 35 older adults' physiological and emotional responses during interactions with a humanoid robot versus a human partner, using facial expression analysis, non-contact heart rate monitoring, and subjective surveys.
Key results
- Facial expressions showed comparable happiness and low negative affect toward both partners
- Heart rate was slightly lower and more stable during robot interactions, indicating reduced tension
- Positive prompts failed to significantly enhance emotional or physiological responses
- High acceptance was hindered by a mismatch between the robot's childlike appearance and adult conversation content
Why it matters
These findings validate social robots as viable eldercare communication partners while emphasizing that visual persona must align with conversational tasks to ensure natural acceptance and trust.
Abstract
Addressing the global caregiver shortage through socially assistive robots necessitates a deep understanding of their psychological and physiological impacts on older adults. This study addresses whether social robots can serve as effective interaction partners compared to humans, and if ”positive prompts” can similarly enhance these interactions. We con- ducted a comparative study with 35 participants (aged 70+) to evaluate responses during both human-human and human- robot encounters, including an assessment of ”positive prompts” for cognitive reappraisal. Our multi-modal analysis, integrating facial expression data, heart rate variability, and subjective questionnaires, revealed no significant differences in overall stress levels between human and robot interactions. Facial expression analysis confirmed that the robot was accepted as a valid interaction partner, while physiological data showed slightly lower heart rates during robot interactions, suggest- ing a more relaxed state compared to human-led sessions. These findings indicate that social robots can engage older adults without inducing psychological strain and are capable of alleviating caregiver burden by performing structured tasks, such as health-sensing surveys. Future work should address the identified ”appearance-content mismatch” in robot design to facilitate even more natural and effective interactions.