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Background: The successful implementation of innovative communication technologies can contribute to the social integration and general well-being of older adults. As part of the CO-HUMANICS (Co-Presence of Humans and Interactive Companions for Seniors) project, a telepresence robot designed to help older adults to stay socially connected will be developed. Aim: Following a human-centered approach, this study aims to explore older adults’ preferences for the use of human-robot gestures and voice commands to enhance robot-mediated communication via a telepresence robot. Methods: Two participatory design workshops were conducted in August 2024 with a total of N = 13 older adults (68–76 years old, Mage = 72.46, SDage = 2.73, 54% women). Participants were active senior citizens without cognitive or mobility impairments, all of them living in Germany. Results: Older adults discussed simple human-robot gestures and short voice commands that could enhance robot-mediated communication. Their application was considered especially useful during the following stages of human-robot interaction: (1) raising the attention of the robot, (2) moving closer to the robot, (3) initiating communication with a remotely located partner, (4) showing/pointing objects, (5) optimizing the location of the robot/direction of camera. Participants proposed gestures such as hand waving (wake-up signal for the robot) and pointing at objects with a finger and a raised arm and suggested simple voice commands such as “move forward”, “move backward”, and “stop”. Additionally, older adults showed a preference for using gestures and voice commands separately and simultaneously: “(I would say) ‘Robbie please show the pictures that are hanging on the wall’ and would accompany that with a gesture so that the robot knows where to look” (female participant, 72 years old). Conclusions: The implementation of human-robot gestures and voice commands could have a positive impact on older adults’ experience with robot-mediated communication. Recommendations for the future design of telepresence robots for older adults are made.

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A Telepresence Robot for the Social Integration of Older Adults: Exploring Human-Robot Gesture Interaction and Voice Commands

  • 会议论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年

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  • Melisa Conde,
  • Stephanie Arevalo Arboleda,
  • Alexander Raake,
  • Nicola Döring

摘要

Background: The successful implementation of innovative communication technologies can contribute to the social integration and general well-being of older adults. As part of the CO-HUMANICS (Co-Presence of Humans and Interactive Companions for Seniors) project, a telepresence robot designed to help older adults to stay socially connected will be developed. Aim: Following a human-centered approach, this study aims to explore older adults’ preferences for the use of human-robot gestures and voice commands to enhance robot-mediated communication via a telepresence robot. Methods: Two participatory design workshops were conducted in August 2024 with a total of N = 13 older adults (68–76 years old, Mage = 72.46, SDage = 2.73, 54% women). Participants were active senior citizens without cognitive or mobility impairments, all of them living in Germany. Results: Older adults discussed simple human-robot gestures and short voice commands that could enhance robot-mediated communication. Their application was considered especially useful during the following stages of human-robot interaction: (1) raising the attention of the robot, (2) moving closer to the robot, (3) initiating communication with a remotely located partner, (4) showing/pointing objects, (5) optimizing the location of the robot/direction of camera. Participants proposed gestures such as hand waving (wake-up signal for the robot) and pointing at objects with a finger and a raised arm and suggested simple voice commands such as “move forward”, “move backward”, and “stop”. Additionally, older adults showed a preference for using gestures and voice commands separately and simultaneously: “(I would say) ‘Robbie please show the pictures that are hanging on the wall’ and would accompany that with a gesture so that the robot knows where to look” (female participant, 72 years old). Conclusions: The implementation of human-robot gestures and voice commands could have a positive impact on older adults’ experience with robot-mediated communication. Recommendations for the future design of telepresence robots for older adults are made.