What are the preferred characteristics of a service robot for the elderly? A multi-country focus group study with older adults and caregivers
Open accessAbstract
This multi-perspective study focuses on how a service robot for the elderly should behave when interacting with potential users. An existing service robot and a scenario were used as a concrete case, which was discussed and analyzed during focus group sessions with older adults (n = 38), informal caregivers (n = 24), and professional caregivers (n = 35) in the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom. A total of seven topics-privacy, task execution, environment, appearance, behavior, visitors, and communication-were explored. The results showed that some of the characteristics mentioned were unique to a user group, but several were cross-cutting. Overall, potential users expected the service robot to be customizable in order to match the users' needs and preferences. Also, high expectations concerning its functioning and behavior were expressed, which sometimes could even be compared to the qualities of a human being. This emphasizes the complexity of service robot development for older adults, and highlights the need for a personalized and flexible solution. One size does not fit all, and specific attention should be paid to the development of the robot's social behavior and skills beyond a mere functional support for the person.
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Most prior HRI participatory design studies with older adults do not include the actual robot, relying instead on video demonstrations, storyboard images, or other images of robots.
“Most of these studies do not include the actual robot, and they instead rely on video demonstrations [6, 16], storyboard images showing what a robot may do [5], or other images of robots [9].”
From Situated Participatory Design: A Method for In Situ Design of Robotic Interaction with Older Adults (2023) · cites this paper as [5]
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“Most of these studies do not include the actual robot, and they instead rely on video demonstrations [6, 16], storyboard images showing what a robot may do [5], or other images of robots [9].”
Background
- Authors
- Bedaf, S., Marti, P., & De Witte, L.
- Affiliations
- Zuyd University of Applied Sciences (NL)
- University of Siena (IT)
- Research Centre Technology in Care, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Heerlen, the Netherlands
- Corresponding author
- Bedaf, Sandra
- ORCID
- Marti, Patrizia
- Venue
- Assistive Technology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2017-12-11
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 147-157
- ISSN
- 1040-0435 (ISSN-L)
- 1949-3614
- OpenAlex
- W2767530831
- Cited by
- 70
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 3.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- research.tue.nl
- Licence
- other-oa
- Locations
- Assistive Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- TU/e Research Portal (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
- TU/e Research Portal (submittedVersion)
- Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Use Siena air (University of Siena) (submittedVersion)
- TU/e Research Portal (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Seventh Framework Programme (287624)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Social Robot Interaction and HRI
- Social Sciences › Demography › Technology Use by Older Adults
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › AI in Service Interactions
- Keywords
- service robots, older adults, informal caregivers, professional caregivers, privacy, robot appearance, robot behavior, human-robot interaction, social robots, assistive robotics
- MeSH terms
- Activities of Daily Living, Aged, Female, Humans, Male, Robotics, Self-Help Devices, Caregivers, Focus Groups, Patient Preference
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