Keep your Distance! Assessing Proxemics to Virtual Robots by Caregivers

Abstract

To maintain safety, ensure a positive user experience, and guarantee long-term use, robots must follow the established conventions of caregivers and residents in healthcare settings. To investigate which interpersonal distance conventions are expected from robots in care facilities, caregivers' perceptions and preferred robot distances were tested in a virtual environment. With a within-design the participants' position (sitting/standing) and the robot's speed (0.3/0.8/1.4 m/s) were varied. The slower the robot moved, the shorter the preferred distance of the robot was and the more comfortable and safer caregivers felt. In addition, the robot was allowed to move closer when participants were standing, but no subjective difference was found between sitting and standing conditions. Although control variables did not influence the preferred distances, results suggest that participants' height becomes relevant at higher speed conditions. This study can be used to derive concrete proximity regulations for the use of robots in care facilities.