Consumer Responses to Humanoid Service Robots and Cobotic Teams in Healthcare

What is a humanoid service robot (HSR)?

A service robot that is an embodied technology providing services to improve quality of life, resembling humans as closely as possible.

What are cobotic service teams?

Teams where frontline employees and robots collaborate in a co-located space to provide service to customers.

What is the difference between a robotic service experience and a cobotic service experience?

Robotic service experiences tend to make people feel uncomfortable and less favorable, while cobotic experiences involve collaboration between humans and robots.

What are the rival schools of thought regarding consumer responses to humanoid service robots?

One school believes consumers respond positively to human-like robots, while another argues that synthetic agents can elicit negative responses due to the uncanny valley effect.

What did research find about discomfort and food consumption when served by an HSR versus a human?

People felt more uncomfortable and favorable towards humans, but ate more food when served by robots.

How did elderly patients react to having a robot as the team leader for their exercise class?

They preferred classes taught solely by humans and were more willing to continue those classes.

What was the effect of allowing study participants to choose their own robot?

Participants felt less anxiety and were more willing to use information provided when they had a choice.

Were people willing to pay more for a completely human team versus a robotic team leader?

Participants were willing to pay almost double for a human-only team when the team leader was robotic.