Which Robot Do You Prefer When Boarding an Elevator: Fast vs. Considerate

Abstract

As robots are increasingly integrated into our everyday lives, elevator situations with robots have become unavoidable. Elevators are essential facilities for moving between floors within high-rise buildings, yet they often serve as spaces that generate dissatisfaction among people. It is imperative that robots do not exacerbate this dissatisfaction among elevator users. To address this issue, we conducted an online comparative survey using video-based scenarios to investigate the impact of a robot’s boarding time and boarding position on elevator satisfaction among office employees who coexist with real robots in their daily work environment (N = 374). The results revealed that both of these factors significantly contribute to satisfaction. Additionally, we found that the robot’s perceived competence is the most influential factor for satisfaction. This case study underscores the importance of time for individuals in elevator environments within the context of Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) research and provides suggestions for enhancing people’s satisfaction.