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image of Exploring behavioural interactions elicited by the socially assistive robot Biscee in an elderly care facility — an ethorobotic study
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Abstract

Elderly care is a key area of interest in social robotics, yet research on the practical applications and acceptance of such robots in real-world group settings remains limited. In this study, we use an ethorobotic approach to explore the potential of a socially assistive robot (SAR) to elicit interactive behaviours, such as orienting, approaching, withdrawing, touching, talking, and smiling, from elderly residents and other non-resident individuals in a nursing home. The elderly residents demonstrated high levels of acceptance and curiosity toward the robot, whereas most non-resident staff tended to ignore it. Residents showed significantly more interest in the robot than non-residents, and both groups maintained a consistent level of interaction over the 11-day observation period. These exploratory observations suggest that it is indeed possible to design socially interactive robots capable of sustaining long-term engagement with elderly individuals.

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2026-05-27
2026-06-07

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/content/journals/10.1075/is.25079.sha
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Exploring behavioural interactions elicited by the socially assistive robot Biscee in an elderly care facility — an ethorobotic study
John Benjamins ; https://doi.org/10.1075/is.25079.sha
/content/journals/10.1075/is.25079.sha
/content/journals/10.1075/is.25079.sha
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keywords: socially assistive robot (SAR) ; real-world HRI ; ethorobotics ; elderly care ; assistive technology ; Human-Robot Interaction

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