User Perceptions of Privacy and Comfort in Domestic Service Robots

This paper presents the results of an experimental study investigating how users’ perception of privacy loss influences their comfort levels, when interacting with camera-equipped domestic robots. We utilize a privacy-enhancing feature: a translucent camera cover that blurs the robot’s vision while preserving a limited degree of functionality for computer vision algorithms. Our findings indicate that participants perceived greater privacy protection when the robot is equipped with a translucent cover compared to a transparent one. This perceived protection led to higher levels of comfort during interactions with household activities. Moreover, the increase in comfort was consistent for all participants, regardless of their prior attitudes towards privacy concerns. These results suggest that privacy preserving features can serve as strategies to improve user comfort in domestic human-robot interactions.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S., Mechanical Engineering

Level thesis:degree_level

Master of Science

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Grantor

Cornell University

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Yan, Yunting

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Bhattacharjee, Tapomayukh

• Domestic Robot
• Human-robot interaction
• Privacy

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7298/rg3m-hk37

Dc Identifier Other

ProQuest Submission ID: 12414
ProQuest Publication ID: 31999941

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ecommons.cornell.edu:1813/117489