JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Globally, pressure is increasing on health and social care resources due to the aging population and growing prevalence of dementia. Companion robots, such as Paro, demonstrate strong potential in helping reduce this pressure, through reported benefits including reduced agitation, depression, loneliness, care provider burden and medication use. However, we previously identified that user-centered design of robot pets is both essential and understudied. We observed that commonly used robot pets are poorly matched to end-user requirements, and that end-users and developers of robot pets differ significantly in their perception of appropriate design. This may explain some of the contradictory outcome research and variance in results for robot pets, such as Paro.

Objective:

In response to the literature gap, we aimed to provide user-centered insight on design for robot pets from the key stakeholders to inform future robot developments and choice of robots for real-world implementations and research. We focused here on understanding user-requirements.

Methods:

There were 65 participants in total from five care homes: 26 care home residents, 29 staff members and 10 family members. Care home residents formed groups of between three and four individuals and experienced free-interaction with a range of eight companion robots and toys, including Paro and more affordable alternatives. Robots provided had a range of aesthetics, shell-types, interactivity levels and designs for comparison. Care staff and resident relatives observed the interactions. All participants then engaged in focus groups within their stakeholder category to discuss preferences and user-requirements in companion robot design. Both free-interactions and focus groups were video recorded, transcribed and subject to thematic analysis.

Results:

Care home residents, residents’ relatives and staff were open and accepting to the use of companion robot pets, with the majority suggesting they would keep a device for themselves or residents. The most preferred device was the Joy for All (JfA) cat, followed by the JfA dog. In discussion, preferred design features included familiar animal embodiment (domestic pet), soft fur, interactivity, big, appealing eyes, simulated breathing and movements. Unfamiliar devices were more often seen as toy-like and suitable for children, producing some negative responses.

Conclusions:

This work provides important and user-centered insight into future robot designs for care home residents by means of a comprehensive comparison with key stakeholders. This work strongly supports use of familiar embodiment in future robot pet designs, with domestic cat and dog morphologies appearing most acceptable. The results have implications for future robot designs and selection of robot pets for both research and real-world implementations. Clinical Trial: N/A