Research Publications Authored by SLIIT Staff

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This collection includes all SLIIT staff publications presented at external conferences and published in external journals. The materials are organized by faculty to facilitate easy retrieval.

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Embargo
Lounging with robots–social spaces of residents in care: a comparison trial
(Wiley Online Library, 2015-12-02) Peri, K; Kerse, N; Broadbent, E; Jayawardena, C; Kuo, T; Datta, C; Stafford, R; MacDonald, B
To investigate whether robots could reduce resident sleeping and stimulate activity in the lounges of an older persons care facility.
Open Access
Multidisciplinary Design Approach for Implementation of Interactive Services
(Springer Netherlands, 2011-10-14) Kuo, I. H; Jayawardena, C; Broadbent, E; MacDonald, B. A
In the design of service robots, a key research focus has been on Human Robot Interaction (HRI) required in service applications. HRI is one of the critical factors that determines the acceptability of a service robot. The user acceptance of a service robot and its applications is highly related to HRI, as HRI affects the user perception and user experience related to the robot. In this paper, a new design approach is proposed for designing and implementing HRI for service robot applications designed for real scenarios in the real-world environment. The objective of this design approach is to facilitate inter-disciplinary collaborations, which are essential for HRI research and for developing successful products. The proposed design approach was used in the design of the healthcare service robot “Cafero” developed at the University of Auckland in collaboration with the Electronic and Telecommunication Research Institute (ETRI) and Yujin Robot Company Ltd. of Korea. Vital signs measurement, medication management, entertainment and falls detection were implemented as service applications of Cafero. In the design process, UML and UMLi modelling diagrams were used to model the robot’s multi-modal and interactive behaviour. Interaction design patterns were defined to represent recurring interactions or social cues in HRI using UMLi notations. The proposed design approach emphaI- sises an iterative process to allow discovery of additional HRI requirements in the early design stage and to implement through Component-Based Software Engineering (CBSE). The design of communication initiation and user identification by Cafero is presented as a case study, in order to evaluate the proposed design approach. In this case study, enabling a service robot to act proactively to the presence of a potential user and identifying the user prior to providing healthcare services is presented. For the implementation, Open-RTM component-oriented framework was used.
Open Access
Human-Robot Interaction Research to Improve Quality of Life in Elder Care—An Approach and Issues
(Workshops at the Twenty-Fifth AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, 2011-08-24) Broadbent, E; Jayawardena, C; Kerse, N; Stafford, R. Q; MacDonald, B. A
This paper describes a program of research that aims to develop and test healthcare robots for elder care. We describe the aims of the project, the robots developed, and studies we have performed in HRI in elder care. We highlight research design issues that have become apparent in the retirement home setting when testing robots. These issues are relevant to robotics researchers wishing to evaluate the effects of robotic care on older people’s quality of life.
Open Access
Robots in older people’s homes to improve medication adherence and quality of life: a randomised cross-over trial
(Springer, Cham, 2014-10-27) Broadbent, E; Peri, K; Kerse, N; Jayawardena, C; Kuo, I; Datta, C; MacDonald, B
Healthcare robots are being developed to help older people maintain independence. This randomised cross-over trial aimed to investigate whether healthcare robots were acceptable and feasible and whether the robots could impact quality of life, depression and medication adherence. 29 older adults living in independent units within a retirement village were given robots in their homes for 6 weeks and had a non-robot 6-week control period, in a randomised order. The robots reminded people to take medication, provided memory games, entertainment, skype calls, and blood pressure measurement. The robots were found to be acceptable and feasible, and many participants described them as useful and as friends although not all comments were positive. There were relatively few problems with robot functions. The participants’ perceptions of the robots’ agency reduced over time. The robots had no significant impact on adherence, depression or quality of life. While the robots were feasible and acceptable, improvements in their reliability and functionality may increase their efficacy.
Embargo
Does the Robot Have a Mind? Mind Perception and Attitudes Towards Robots Predict Use of an Eldercare Robot
(Springer Netherlands, 2014-01-01) Stafford, R. Q; MacDonald, B. A; Jayawardena, C; Wegner, D.M; Broadbent, E
Robots are starting to be developed for aged care populations and some of these have been made into commercial products that have been well received. However, little is known about the psychological factors that promote acceptance or rejection of robots by older people. Finding out more about these psychological determinants of robot uptake and acceptance is the primary focus of the study described in this paper. A healthcare robot feasibility study was conducted in a retirement village. Older people (n=25) were invited to use a prototype robot with healthcare functions over a two week period. Questionnaires were completed before and after the period. It was found that residents who held significantly more positive attitudes towards robots, and perceived robot minds to have less agency (ability to do things) were more likely to use the robot. It was also found that attitudes towards robots improved over time in robot-users. Our results suggest that the cognitions older people hold about robots may influence their decisions to use robots. The study results also validate participants’ subjective self-reports of attitudes towards robots and perceptions of robot mind, against the objective measure of robot use. Interventions to foster adaptive cognitions could be developed and applied in the design, deployment and marketing of robots to promote their use and acceptance.
Open Access
Benefits and problems of health-care robots in aged care settings: A comparison trial
(WILEY, 2015-09-13) Broadbent, E; Kerse, N; Peri, K; Robinson, H; Jayawardena, C; Kuo, T; Datta, C; Stafford, R; Butler, H; MacDonald, B. A; Robins, B
Aim This study investigated whether multiple health-care robots could have any benefits or cause any problems in an aged care facility. Method Fifty-three residents and 53 staff participated in a non-randomised controlled trial over 12 weeks. Six robots provided entertainment, communication and health-monitoring functions in staff rooms and activity lounges. These settings were compared to control settings without robots. Results There were no significant differences between groups in resident or staff outcomes, except a significant increase in job satisfaction in the control group only. The intervention group perceived the robots had more agency and experience than the control group did. Perceived agency of the robots decreased over time in both groups. Overall, we received very mixed responses with positive, neutral and negative comments. Conclusions The robots had no major benefits or problems. Future research could give robots stronger operational roles, use more specific outcome measures, and perform cost–benefit analyses.
Embargo
Improved robot attitudes and emotions at a retirement home after meeting a robot
(IEEE, 2010-09-13) Stafford, R. Q; Broadbent, E; Jayawardena, C; Unger, U; Kuo, I. H; Igic, A; Wong, R; Kerse, N; Watson, C; MacDonald, B. A
This study investigated whether attitudes and emotions towards robots predicted acceptance of a healthcare robot in a retirement village population. Residents (n = 32) and staff (n = 21) at a retirement village interacted with a robot for approximately 30 minutes. Prior to meeting the robot, participants had their heart rate and blood pressure measured. The robot greeted the participants, assisted them in taking their vital signs, performed a hydration reminder, told a joke, played a music video, and asked some questions about falls and medication management. Participants were given two questionnaires; one before and one after interacting with the robot. Measures included in both questionnaires were the Robot Attitude Scale (RAS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). After using the robot, participants rated the overall quality of the robot interaction. Both residents and staff reported more favourable attitudes (p <; .05) and decreases in negative affect (p <; .05) towards the robot after meeting it, compared with before meeting it. Pre-interaction emotions and robot attitudes, combined with post-interaction changes in emotions and robot attitudes, were highly predictive of participants' robot evaluations (R = .88, p <; .05). The results suggest both pre-interaction emotions and attitudes towards robots, as well as experience with the robot, are important areas to monitor and address in influencing acceptance of healthcare robots in retirement village residents and staff. The results support an active cognition model that incorporates a feedback loop based on re-evaluation after experience.
Embargo
Socially Assistive Robot HealthBot: Design, Implementation, and Field Trials
(IEEE, 2016-09-01) Jayawardena, C; Kuo, I. H; Broadbent, E; MacDonald, B. A
Socially assistive robotics is an important emerging research area. Socially assistive robotics is challenging as it is required to move robots out of laboratories and industrial settings to interact with ordinary human beings as peers, which requires social skills. The design process usually requires multidisciplinary research teams, which may comprise subject matter experts from various domains such as robotics, systems integration, medicine, psychology, gerontology, social and cognitive sciences, and neuroscience, among many others. Unlike most other robotic applications, socially assistive robotics faces some unique software and systems integration challenges. In this paper, the HealthBot robot architecture, which was designed to overcome these challenges, is presented. The presented architecture was implemented and used in several field trials. The details of the field trials are presented, and lessons learned are discussed with field trial results.
Embargo
Design, implementation and field tests of a socially assistive robot for the elderly: Healthbot version 2
(IEEE, 2012-06-24) Jayawardena, C; Kuo, I; Datta, C; Stafford, R.Q; Broadbent, E; MacDonald, B. A
This paper presents the second version of a mobile service robot (HealthBot) designed for older people. The lessons learned from studies of the first version of the robot at a retirement village, and design decisions for the second version, are discussed. Technical requirements of field trials, a focus on cognitive human-robot interactions, the importance of working together in a multidisciplinary team, and the necessity for rapid iterative development suggested a new software framework. The features of new framework are discussed and implementation details are presented. Details of field trials and user acceptance results are presented. Results are promising for older-user acceptance of the robot.
Embargo
Improved robot attitudes and emotions at a retirement home after meeting a robot
(IEEE, 2010-09-13) Stafford, R. Q; Broadbent, E; Jayawardena, C; Unger, U; Kuo, I. H; Igic, A; Wong, R; Kerse, N; Watson, C; MacDonald, B. A
This study investigated whether attitudes and emotions towards robots predicted acceptance of a healthcare robot in a retirement village population. Residents (n = 32) and staff (n = 21) at a retirement village interacted with a robot for approximately 30 minutes. Prior to meeting the robot, participants had their heart rate and blood pressure measured. The robot greeted the participants, assisted them in taking their vital signs, performed a hydration reminder, told a joke, played a music video, and asked some questions about falls and medication management. Participants were given two questionnaires; one before and one after interacting with the robot. Measures included in both questionnaires were the Robot Attitude Scale (RAS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). After using the robot, participants rated the overall quality of the robot interaction. Both residents and staff reported more favourable attitudes (p <; .05) and decreases in negative affect (p <; .05) towards the robot after meeting it, compared with before meeting it. Pre-interaction emotions and robot attitudes, combined with post-interaction changes in emotions and robot attitudes, were highly predictive of participants' robot evaluations (R = .88, p <; .05). The results suggest both pre-interaction emotions and attitudes towards robots, as well as experience with the robot, are important areas to monitor and address in influencing acceptance of healthcare robots in retirement village residents and staff. The results support an active cognition model that incorporates a feedback loop based on re-evaluation after experience.

Research Publications Authored by SLIIT Staff

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