TY - JOUR
T1 - Using socially assistive robots for monitoring and preventing frailty among older adults
T2 - a study on usability and user experience challenges
AU - Olde Keizer, Richelle A.C.M.
AU - van Velsen, Lex
AU - Moncharmont, Mathieu
AU - Riche, Brigitte
AU - Ammour, Nadir
AU - Del Signore, Susanna
AU - Zia, Gianluca
AU - Hermens, Hermie
AU - N’Dja, Aurèle
N1 - Springer deal
PY - 2019/8/1
Y1 - 2019/8/1
N2 - Socially assistive robots can play an important role in the monitoring and training of health of older adults. But before their benefits can be reaped, proper usability and a positive user experience need to be ensured. In this study, we tested the usability and user experience of a socially assistive robot (the NAO humanoid robot) to monitor and train the health of frail older adults. They were asked to complete a set of health monitoring and physical training tasks, once provided by the NAO robot, and once provided by a Tablet PC application (as a reference technology). After using each technology, they completed the System Usability Scale for usability, and a set of rating scales for perceived usefulness, enjoyment, and control. Finally, we questioned the participants’ preference for one of the technologies. All interactions were recorded on video and scrutinized for usability issues. Twenty older adults participated. They awarded both technologies ‘average’ usability scores. Perceived usefulness and enjoyment were rated as very positive for both modalities; control was scored positively. Main usability issues for NAO for these tasks were related to speech interaction (e.g., NAO’s limited speech library, NAO’s difficulty to cope with Dutch dialect), older adults’ difficulties with taking their proper role in human-robot interaction, and a lack of affordances of NAO. Seven participants preferred NAO: it was easier to use and more personal. Social robots have the potential to monitor and train the health of frail older adults, but some critical usability challenges need to be overcome first.
AB - Socially assistive robots can play an important role in the monitoring and training of health of older adults. But before their benefits can be reaped, proper usability and a positive user experience need to be ensured. In this study, we tested the usability and user experience of a socially assistive robot (the NAO humanoid robot) to monitor and train the health of frail older adults. They were asked to complete a set of health monitoring and physical training tasks, once provided by the NAO robot, and once provided by a Tablet PC application (as a reference technology). After using each technology, they completed the System Usability Scale for usability, and a set of rating scales for perceived usefulness, enjoyment, and control. Finally, we questioned the participants’ preference for one of the technologies. All interactions were recorded on video and scrutinized for usability issues. Twenty older adults participated. They awarded both technologies ‘average’ usability scores. Perceived usefulness and enjoyment were rated as very positive for both modalities; control was scored positively. Main usability issues for NAO for these tasks were related to speech interaction (e.g., NAO’s limited speech library, NAO’s difficulty to cope with Dutch dialect), older adults’ difficulties with taking their proper role in human-robot interaction, and a lack of affordances of NAO. Seven participants preferred NAO: it was easier to use and more personal. Social robots have the potential to monitor and train the health of frail older adults, but some critical usability challenges need to be overcome first.
KW - UT-Hybrid-D
KW - Older adults
KW - Socially assistive robots
KW - Usability
KW - User experience
KW - Healthcare
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85068115521&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12553-019-00320-9
DO - 10.1007/s12553-019-00320-9
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85068115521
SN - 2190-7188
VL - 9
SP - 595
EP - 605
JO - Health and technology
JF - Health and technology
IS - 4
ER -