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arXiv · 2502.02725

The Design of On-Body Robots for Older Adults

Victor Nikhil Antony·Clara Jeon·Jiasheng Li·Ge Gao·Huaishu Peng·Anastasia K. Ostrowski·Chien-Ming Huang
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Abstract

Wearable technology has significantly improved the quality of life for older adults, and the emergence of on-body, movable robots presents new opportunities to further enhance well-being. Yet, the interaction design for these robots remains under-explored, particularly from the perspective of older adults. We present findings from a two-phase co-design process involving 13 older adults to uncover design principles for on-body robots for this population. We identify a rich spectrum of potential applications and characterize a design space to inform how on-body robots should be built for older adults. Our findings highlight the importance of considering factors like co-presence, embodiment, and multi-modal communication. Our work offers design insights to facilitate the integration of on-body robots into daily life and underscores the value of involving older adults in the co-design process to promote usability and acceptance of emerging wearable robotic technologies.

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Victor Nikhil Antony, Clara Jeon, Jiasheng Li, Ge Gao, Huaishu Peng, Anastasia K. Ostrowski, Chien-Ming Huang. 2025-02-04. The Design of On-Body Robots for Older Adults. https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.02725

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