Babypapa: Multiple Communication Robots to Enrich Relationship Between Parents and Child–Design and Evaluation of KANSEI Model to Control Closeness—

Abstract

There is a need to create a well-being oriented society to improve people’s lives by enhancing their mental satisfaction. In this study, we examined the changes in human emotions based on human–robot interaction by using a communication robot called babypapa. We defined KANSEI as the sensitivity of emotional change to the robot’s behavior and established a KANSEI model. Specifically, to clarify the behavior that the robot should exhibit to make children feel close to it, we conducted play experiments between the robot and 3–4 year-old children to investigate the relationship between the robot’s behavior and the feeling of closeness. The results of the experiment showed that contact and noncontact behaviors of the robot contributed to the feeling of closeness. We demonstrated a certain tendency of closeness and robot behavior.