User Needs for Home Robotic Devices: A Comparison Between Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Robotic devices are being introduced to support active aging and enhance the lives of older adults at home. To effectively design and implement such devices, it is crucial to investigate the user needs of both older adults and their family members. This study aimed to investigate middle-aged adults and older adults’ needs for home robotic devices. A total of 46 participants took part in interviews focusing on the appearance, social characteristics, functional requirements, and acceptance of home robotic devices. The results revealed that, in terms of appearance, middle-aged adults showed a preference for mechanical robots, whereas older adults favored humanoid robots. Both middle-aged and older adults liked female robots in terms of social characteristics. In terms of functional needs, both middle-aged and older adults considered life management functions as the most important. However, older adults placed less importance on entertainment functions, while middle-aged adults perceived emotional communication as less essential. In terms of the factors influencing acceptance, the critical factors that influence older adults’ acceptance were economic factors and psychological factors. The critical factors influencing middle-aged adults’ acceptance were economic factors, technological maturity, functional perfection, and other technical characteristics. These findings have implications for the design and implementation of home robotic devices.