Social robots are increasingly being recognized as valuable tools to support senior citizens, particularly within the framework of super-aging societies. A recent study conducted by researchers at the Advanced Telecommunication Research Institute International, led by Masahiro Shiomi, explores how robot-initiated touches can influence perceived emotions and feelings of cuteness, known as kawaii, among different age groups.
With the number of elderly individuals rising globally, enhancing quality care through technology is imperative. Previous studies have shown the effectiveness of social robots—like pet robots and baby-like robots—in improving both wellbeing for seniors and alleviating the mental load on nursing staff. Robots are being redesigned with features aimed at increasing their emotional expressiveness and cuteness, two factors identified as key to achieving social acceptance.
Shiomi's investigation involved 48 participants, equally divided between adults aged 21 to 49 and seniors aged 65 to 79. Participants interacted with Sawatte Hiro-chan, a modified version of the research robot HIRO3, which has been equipped with motorized arms to enable touching behaviors. The study considered three main factors: touch (whether the robot initiated touch behavior), emotion (expressing happy or angry behaviors), and participant age.
The findings revealed notable differences between the two age groups. For both adults and seniors, the robot's touch significantly increased the perceived emotional valence regardless of the expressed emotion, confirming Shiomi's first prediction. The researchers wrote, "The robot's touch significantly increased the perceived valence regardless of the expressed emotions and the ages of the participants." This indicates touch can be valuable across whatever mood the robot is expressing.
While the touch prompted increased feelings of emotional positivity among seniors, it did not similarly heighten their arousal or sense of kawaii. This contrasts with the responses from the adult participants, who exhibited significant increases across all three measured categories. The study discussed the potential reasons for this gap, noting the differential touch impacts stemming from the seniors' emotional processing. The authors of the article noted, "We discussed the differential effects of robot-initiated touch between adults and seniors by focusing on emotional processing in the latter." This statement emphasizes how seniors' perceptions of emotional stimuli may differ, potentially leading older participants to experience positive valence but with less emotional arousal.
The researchers attribute this phenomenon to several factors, including possible ceiling effects where seniors already perceived high levels of valence, resulting in little differentiation during the experiment's assessments. Interestingly, their lack of response to touch stimuli for increasing kawaii feelings raised questions about seniors’ inherently different perceptions of cuteness, especially within the robot's design schema mimicking infant characteristics.
One significant aspect of the results highlights the emotional processing capabilities of senior individuals. Past studies suggest seniors might perceive visual stimuli with more favorable valence but less arousal compared to younger adults, indicating different emotional engagement patterns. This is relevant as the study results affirm the premise of using touch behaviors as effective emotional cues for social robots, as the favorable response from seniors indicates potential areas of development for future robot designs.
Nonetheless, the study acknowledges limitations, such as the need for diverse robot types and varied touch interactions among different populations. Future research could also explore providing multiple types of interactions to gauge how these variables influence emotional processing across broader contexts. The researchers hope to see continued advancements for robots engaging with the elderly, utilizing insights gained from these interactions to improve social acceptance and effectiveness.
Through this investigation, Shiomi and colleagues provide important insights necessary for designing socially acceptable robots for the elderly, focusing on features and interactions capable of meaningful engagement without oversaturated emotional input. Continued exploration of the relationships between robot-initiated touch and perceived emotional states offers exciting pathways to improving care technologies for aging populations.