Perspectives of Older Adults on Assistive Robot Support at Home

Assistive robots have tremendous potential to support older adults in their homes. The design of robots for home use is in its nascence, but broad commercial success will depend on the robot design and the older adults' willingness to adopt this technology in their homes. We aimed to understand older adults' perceptions about the potential for use of assistive robots in their homes. We grounded this exploration by understanding their views about aging independently. Using a mixed-methods approach, we interviewed 27 older adults (aged 60-79) about aging and assistive robots and assessed their technology and robot experience. Their views about aging independently revolved around living where they considered home and being able to do their activities on their own. They were open to a robot supporting them in their homes and shared activities the robot could support. We identified factors that should be considered when designing and deploying robots to support the autonomy of older adults.