Partner, master, or servant? How older adults experience their relationship with socially assistive robots

Abstract

As our population ages and healthcare resources become scarce, service robots are increasingly seen as a potential solution to alleviate the pressure on elderly care systems. However, little is known about how older adults experience their interactions and relationships with these robots. This chapter addresses this gap by presenting a longitudinal field study of eight older adults and their relationship with a socially assistive robot, which is a specific type of service robot. Through our research, we identified three distinct types of relationships that older adults established with the robot: a disrupted, a master-servant, or a partner relationship. By uncovering the nuanced and diverse way older adults experience their relationships with service robots, we contribute to the service robot literature and offer recommendations for service robot designers and managers of elderly care services.