Social robots may be a solution to the growing number of elderly and thus the demand in homecare. Previous work shows good acceptability for robotic tools in homecare. The Guardian project associates a social robot, used by the senior, with an application to be used by caregivers.

The objective of this testing phase was to assess whether the Guardian system would be helpful and well accepted within the real conditions of a homecare environment.

The Guardian system was tested in a real-life homecare environment during an early testing phase. Data was gathered through questionnaires and comments formulated by the participants. 30 participants were recruited across Italy, the Netherland and Switzerland: 10 older adults, 10 formal caregivers, and 10 informal caregivers. The collected data was then analyzed through thematic and qualitative method.

The results of this test show that users were ready to accept robotic solutions into a homecare environment. Most users found the Guardian system easy to use, but it appears older adults’ expectations were not met regarding helpfulness in everyday tasks. Caregivers saw some benefit in using it to facilitate cooperation between caregivers but found human-robot interaction and application functionalities limited. The most common comment was that users want vocal commands for an easier and more natural interaction with the robot.

Social robotics may very well be a relevant field to explore regarding homecare but users' expectations are growing fast. In this regard, accessibility is key and must remain a primary focus when considering tool development for elderly.

Authors:
Laetitia Gosetto, University of Geneva, Switzerland
Johann Pignat, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
Yusra Kinis, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
Roberta Bevilacqua, IRCCS INRCA, Italy
Christian Lovis, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
Henk Herman Nap, Vilans, Netherlands

About the Presenter(s)
Ms. Laetitia Gosetto is currently a PhD student at the University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.

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