Social Robot Dressing Style: An evaluation of interlocutor preference for University Setting

Abstract

The presented study investigated the dressing style preference of human interlocutors for the social robot, ROBIN, in a university setting. Through an online questionnaire format, the research examined the impact of robot attire on human-robot interaction (HRI), and the perception of social robots in a social context. A mixed-methods approach was employed, conducting within-subjects empirical study via an online questionnaire that consisted of user demographics, social factors, constructs of robot usage, and two identical HRI videos. The videos featured ROBIN, a humanoid robot, dressed in formal vs. casual attire, respectively, as a representative from the student service center interacting with a human student. The findings indicated that 51.35% probable human interlocutors expressed a preference for the casual clothing style, while 48.65% preferred formal style. Additionally, participants associated social traits such as friendly, helpful, comfortable, approachable, and interesting with the robot’s casual attire. This study highlights the significance of robot clothing in personalized HRI, and its impact on perception of social robots by humans. Analyzing the interlocutor preferences for robot dressing style, it emphasizes clothing as an influential factor in the design of socially acceptable robots.