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Designing Man's New Best Friend: Enhancing Human-Robot Dog Interaction through Dog-Like Framing and Appearance
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Designing Man's New Best Friend: Enhancing Human-Robot Dog Interaction through Dog-Like Framing and Appearance

Ewart J. de Visser, Yigit Topoglu, Shawn Joshi, Frank Krueger, Elizabeth Phillips, Jonathan Gratch, Chad C. Tossell and Hasan Ayaz
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), v 22(3), 1287
01 Feb 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s22031287
PMID: 35162032
Featured in Collection :   Research Supported by Drexel Libraries' OA Programs
url
https://doi.org/10.3390/s22031287View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Open Access via Drexel Libraries Read and Publish ProgramCC BY V4.0,  Open

Abstract

Chemistry Chemistry, Analytical Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Instruments & Instrumentation Science & Technology Engineering Physical Sciences Technology
To understand how to improve interactions with dog-like robots, we evaluated the importance of "dog-like" framing and physical appearance on interaction, hypothesizing multiple interactive benefits of each. We assessed whether framing Aibo as a puppy (i.e., in need of development) versus simply a robot would result in more positive responses and interactions. We also predicted that adding fur to Aibo would make it appear more dog-like, likable, and interactive. Twenty-nine participants engaged with Aibo in a 2 x 2 (framing x appearance) design by issuing commands to the robot. Aibo and participant behaviors were monitored per second, and evaluated via an analysis of commands issued, an analysis of command blocks (i.e., chains of commands), and using a T-pattern analysis of participant behavior. Participants were more likely to issue the "Come Here" command than other types of commands. When framed as a puppy, participants used Aibo's dog name more often, praised it more, and exhibited more unique, interactive, and complex behavior with Aibo. Participants exhibited the most smiling and laughing behaviors with Aibo framed as a puppy without fur. Across conditions, after interacting with Aibo, participants felt Aibo was more trustworthy, intelligent, warm, and connected than at their initial meeting. This study shows the benefits of introducing a socially robotic agent with a particular frame and importance on realism (i.e., introducing the robot dog as a puppy) for more interactive engagement.

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7 citations in Web of Science
8 citations in Scopus

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Chemistry, Analytical
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Instruments & Instrumentation
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