Assistive Personal Robots for Older Adults: Bridging the Divide Between Robotic Technology Development and End-Users in Practical Applications

The global demographic shift towards an aging population has led to a growing demand for healthcare options supporting older adults' independence and well-being. Robotics has emerged as a promising solution to address this challenge, serving as supportive complements or substitutes for human caregivers. However, designing robots that are suitable for older adults is a complex challenge, and there is a need to improve our understanding of users' expectations in this domain. Moreover, the gap between laboratory research on robot technology and its real-world applications needs to be addressed, as the technology needs to meet the needs and expectations of users in practical settings. The primary objective of this thesis is to bridge the divide between robotic technology development and end-users in practical applications. The research will explore the design, development, and implementation of personal robots, with an emphasis on understanding their unique characteristics, capabilities, and potential applications. The study aims to define how assistive personal robots for older adults should look, behave, and interact from a user's point of view. Additionally, the study aims to understand how older adults perceive these robots and what level and type of support they are comfortable with. The results of this study will contribute to identifying key dimensions of the overall user experience and systematic solutions that can serve as guidelines for developers of future robots. This study will not only contribute to academic research in the field but also have practical implications for the design and development of robots that contribute to improving the quality of life of older adults.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master

Department dc:contributor.department

System Design and Management Program.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Kim, Eunah

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Coughlin, Joseph F.
• D'Ambrosio, Lisa A.
• Lee, Chaiwoo

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
• Copyright retained by author(s)

Licence dc:rights.uri

• https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/151290

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/151290