Perceptions of socially assistive robots: A pilot study exploring older adults’ concerns

With growing interest in geriatric applications for socially assistive robots (SARs), further research is required to understand potential barriers of acceptance among older individuals. Much of the existing work has focused on individuals in assistive and long-term care, with fewer examinations of adults who choose to age-in-place. Additionally, limited work has examined older American’s concerns regarding the use of this form of technology. Therefore, the current pilot study examined potential determinants to acceptance of SARs among independent-living older adults in the United States. This pilot study included older community-dwelling individuals from a mid-sized city in Oklahoma that participated in a larger study on SARs. Participants completed a brief survey on potential concerns related to SAR qualities and capabilities as well as measures of demographic information, psychosocial features, and technology perceptions. Participants reported primary concerns related to privacy and security and the potential for hacking. Alternatively, appearance and the ability for robots to detect sound and record conversations were non-concerns. Analyses also explored demographic, psychosocial, and technological features related to participants’ extent of concern regarding SARs. In sum, the current pilot adds to the limited work on older American’s perceptions of socially assistive robots. Findings provide an initial understanding of the barriers to accepting SARs’ among independent-living older adults in the United States. Findings on older individuals’ concerns can be used to improve design elements of SARs and inform implementation efforts to improve the likelihood that older adults use and benefit from companion robots.