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Exercising with Baxter: preliminary support for assistive social-physical human-robot interaction
Naomi T Fitter1,2, Mayumi Mohan3,4, Katherine J Kuchenbecker5,3
1Collaborative Robotics and Intelligent Systems Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA. naomi.fitter@oregonstate.edu.
Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation
|February 19, 2020
Summary
Socially and physically interactive robot games enhance exercise enjoyment and engagement for older adults. These findings suggest robots can help seniors maintain activity levels at home, improving overall well-being.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Gerontology
Background:
- Global aging population strains assisted living capacity.
- Need for innovative solutions to support older adults aging in place.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate robot-assisted exercise for older adults' home activity.
- Design and evaluate human-robot exercise games for seniors.
Main Methods:
- Developed eight Baxter Research Robot exercise games, some with physical contact.
- Conducted user study with 20 younger and 20 older adults.
- Iteratively refined games based on expert and user feedback.
Main Results:
- Socially and physically interactive games scored highest in pleasantness, enjoyment, engagement, and cognitive challenge.
- Older adults reported higher exercise, energy, and engagement than younger adults.
- User trust and confidence in the robot increased significantly.
Conclusions:
- Social-physical robot interaction enhances exercise experience compared to non-physical interactions.
- Design practices, open-source resources, and identified user differences offer valuable insights for future research.
