Presentation
Exploring Proxemic Factors between Older Adults and an Assistive Robots
SessionLBR3: Late-Breaking Results
DescriptionThe global aging population has heightened the demand for assistive technologies, with socially assistive robots emerging as promising solutions to offer physical support and companionship to older adults. Older adults have unique preferences and comfort levels related to various aspects of technology interaction. Proxemics, the study of spatial separation between individuals, is crucial in human-robot interaction as it may impact their comfort and acceptance of robots. Before deploying an assistive robot in an older adult’s home, it is essential to understand the proxemic factors, such as social cues, that could affect their comfort. As a first step, we reviewed the existing body of knowledge in human-robot interaction proxemic factors to identify potentially relevant factors, which included facial expressions, verbal cues, and body movements. We then conducted a video analysis of two older adults in the context of three task interactions. We focused on the interplay between human behavior, robot actions, and interaction distancing. We developed a systematic protocol for video analysis, enabling the detailed examination of proxemic behaviors on a second-by-second (time) basis. Initial findings underscore the multifaceted nature of proxemics, highlighting its significance in influencing human behavior and perception. This human-robot interaction proxemics protocol can elucidate how these variables impact comfort levels, engagement, and responsiveness by scrutinizing factors such as robot approach direction and distance. Additionally, robot actions, including poses, gestures, and orientation, can be explored to understand how they shape users' perceptions and interactions with the technology.
Event Type
Late Breaking Results
TimeThursday, September 12th3:10pm - 3:20pm MST
LocationFLW Salon D