Psychology
Better understand robots
Why design decisions influence whether we accept technical helpers.
If digitalisation continues at the current rate, then we can hopefully understand robots better and benefit from their deployment in the future. One vital condition is that people accept robots in their surroundings, and this is best achieved when they have a good understanding of how a robot works. It is important to bear in mind that any design decision, for example whether a robot has arms or a face, has a major impact on what capabilities are attributed to the machine and how humans try to use it.
Now that the acceptance of robots is gaining momentum as a result of the pandemic, it is important to better understand – as soon as possible – which cues in a robot’s design evoke which expectations, and how these can be optimally implemented to reduce uncertainties and render the interaction between humans and robots human-friendly.