Technical Development of the CeCi Social Robot.

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Social Robotics

Background:

• Existing social robots are prohibitively expensive for emerging economies.
• Current designs neglect end-user preferences, leading to poor social interaction acceptance.
• There's a need for affordable, user-focused robots for social impact in developing nations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the technical considerations for implementing the CeCi social robot.
• To address the cost and user-acceptability issues of current social robots.
• To facilitate technological development and social interaction in emerging countries.

Main Methods:

• Developed a low-cost prototype using a commercial research platform and open-source code.
• Centered the robot's design on end-user criteria and preferences for social interaction.
• Detailed hardware selection, software packages, and implemented functions for social interaction.

Main Results:

• A functional, low-cost social robot prototype (CeCi) was successfully implemented.
• The design prioritizes user acceptability, addressing a key limitation of existing robots.
• The technical considerations and programming adaptations for social interaction are presented.

Conclusions:

• The CeCi robot offers a viable, affordable solution for social robotics in emerging countries.
• User-centered design is crucial for enhancing the acceptability and impact of social robots.
• The proposed framework supports future research and applications in social robotics for social good.