Social robots as interactive technology agents: Supporting design with exploratory assessment

Abstract

How people respond to social robots as new interactive media is an important consideration for their design and implementation. A series of experimental studies uses exploratory assessment to evaluate three applications of social robots: pedagogical social robots that help deliver online content; conversational social robots that speak with people; and robotic furniture that move around the room. My overall goal is to explore how a robot's social status influences participant response and the limits of that response. This research provides concrete suggestions for robot design and technology assessment.