Designing Social Robots' Speech in the Hotel Context - A Series of Online Studies

Abstract

Social robots found their way into several economic fields of our daily life, e.g., as info points in shopping malls or hotels. However, research on robots in the tourism sector is still in its infancy. Conducting three online studies, we examined the design of robotic speech for a robotic concierge. Providing self-disclosure via speech or using local dialect did not affect robot acceptance and attitudes. In contrast, informal speech led to higher likeability and perceived warmth of the robot concierge. Overall, our results reveal positive evaluations of our robotic concierge regardless of its manipulation.