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arXiv · 2401.03329

Designing a Socially Assistive Robot to Support Older Adults with Low Vision

Emily Zhou·Zhonghao Shi·Xiaoyang Qiao·Maja J Matarić·Ava K Bittner
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Abstract

Socially assistive robots (SARs) have shown great promise in supplementing and augmenting interventions to support the physical and mental well-being of older adults. However, past work has not yet explored the potential of applying SAR to lower the barriers of long-term low vision rehabilitation (LVR) interventions for older adults. In this work, we present a user-informed design process to validate the motivation and identify major design principles for developing SAR for long-term LVR. To evaluate user-perceived usefulness and acceptance of SAR in this novel domain, we performed a two-phase study through user surveys. First, a group (n=38) of older adults with LV completed a mailed-in survey. Next, a new group (n=13) of older adults with LV saw an in-clinic SAR demo and then completed the survey. The study participants reported that SARs would be useful, trustworthy, easy to use, and enjoyable while providing socio-emotional support to augment LVR interventions. The in-clinic demo group reported significantly more positive opinions of the SAR's capabilities than did the baseline survey group that used mailed-in forms without the SAR demo.

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Emily Zhou, Zhonghao Shi, Xiaoyang Qiao, Maja J Matarić, Ava K Bittner. 2024-01-06. Designing a Socially Assistive Robot to Support Older Adults with Low Vision. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90525-5_38

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