ChiCaRo: tele-presence robot for interacting with babies and toddlers‡. (16th February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Abe, Kasumi; Shiomi, Masahiro; Pei, Yachao; Zhang, Tingyi; Ikeda, Narumitsu; Nagai, Takayuki
• Is Part Of: Advanced robotics. Volume 32:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 176
• Page End: 190
• Publication Date: 2018-02-16
• Subjects: Child–robot interaction -- tele-presence -- childcare; Robotics -- Periodicals; Robotics -- Japan -- Periodicals; Robotics; Japan; Periodicals; 629.89205
• DOI: 10.1080/01691864.2018.1434014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0169-1864

Abstract

Abstract: The progress of super-aging societies is decreasing opportunities for interaction between grandparents and grandchildren due to increased nuclear families. This paper reports a tele-presence robot named ChiCaRo, which is designed to promote interaction with babies/toddlers and encourage remote communication between grandparents and grandchildren. We experimentally investigated ChiCaRo's social acceptance with 17 adults and 19 children in a play room environment. The adult participants evaluated ChiCaRo highly in the context of remote interaction with their children. Next, we conducted field trials in real-home environments with three nuclear families and their grandparents who operated ChiCaRo to investigate its effectiveness. After one-week field trials, the grandparents reported that ChiCaRo encouraged both interaction with their grandchildren and supplemented childcare, e.g. watching babies/toddlers instead of their parents. Abstract :