Animal Robot Research Articles

Playful framings of social robots in dementia care: reconsidering the principle of transparency in interactions with robot animals

Abstract Research on social robots in dementia care has focused on their effects, for example in relation to the patients’ wellbeing or the care-givers’ working environment. Such approaches to social robots treat them as stable objects with a singular function. Combining social gerontology with social studies of science, the current study offers a new angle by asking: How do patients and care-givers in care homes for older people establish a shared definition of the situation in interactions involving robot animals? Drawing on ethnography and multimodal conversation analysis of 211 minutes of video recordings in two care homes in Sweden, we demonstrate the embodied work by which participants in interactions establish activities with robot animals. In contrast to the ideal of transparency in social robotics, we show that a central affordance of the robots is their vagueness, which allows for their inclusion in playful interactions. Playful framings of the robots highlight their social functions and downplay care-giver–patient asymmetries. However, situations where patients resist a playful frame actualise a dilemma of social inclusion, on the one hand, and the right to not participate in play, on the other. Showing this, the article contributes to knowledge on how people age with technology; in particular, it draws attention to the limits of an ideal of transparency when social robots are included in dementia care.

Using PARO, a robotic seal, to support people living with dementia: ‘what works’ in inpatient dementia care settings?

Abstract Introduction: The robotic seal PARO has received increased attention as a new technology to support people living with dementia in terms of emotional and physiological outcomes. However, little research has been conducted to improve understanding of how and why PARO may work within inpatient dementia care. We investigate for whom PARO works best in this setting, and why PARO may work. Methods: Informed by principles from realist methodology, qualitative interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals, participants with dementia and their relatives to explore experiences related to the delivery and receipt of an intervention using PARO in an inpatient dementia ward in the United Kingdom (UK). Observations of PARO intervention sessions were conducted to gain further insight into provision and implementation of sessions using PARO in ‘real time’. Data were analysed using thematic analysis, and using the process of configuration mapping, we constructed a visualisation of our findings framed within the Intervention-Context-Actor-Mechanisms-Outcomes (ICAMO) model. Results: The visualisation of our findings framed within the ICAMO model suggests that PARO may result in positive outcomes within inpatient dementia care due to a range of potential mechanisms, including enhancement of social interactions, developing a sense of attachment, evoking emotive memories, physical interaction, and perceiving the robotic animal as a live being. For these mechanisms to be activated, the sessions should be structured but participant-led, and be delivered as needed in a one-to-one setting by a skilled facilitator. Conclusion: Using PARO in an inpatient dementia care context appeared promising and well-received in this small observational study. This study explicitly considers the context and mechanisms of using PARO within inpatient dementia care settings, presenting findings in a structured visualisation framed within the ICAMO model and offering a theoretical basis for future intervention research.

Robotic Animal Use among Older Adults Enrolled in Palliative or Hospice Care: A Scoping Review and Framework for Future Research

Robotic Animal Use among Older Adults Enrolled in Palliative or Hospice Care: A Scoping Review and Framework for Future Research

Making robots matter in dementia care: Conceptualising the triadic interaction between caregiver, resident and robot animal.

While previous research studies have focused on either caregivers' or residents' perception and use of social robots, this article offers an empirical and theoretical examination of joint activities in triadic human-robot interaction. The symptomatology of dementia creates an asymmetrical relation wherein the impetus to employ a robot often originates from the caregiver. Drawing on field work and video recorded interactions in dementia care homes, the article investigates how caregivers draw on embodied resources to involve residents and robot animals in interaction. The analysis demonstrates how caregivers promote commitment and encounter resistance with residents. We draw on the theory of sociomaterial interactionism to study situated interaction between bodies in a meaning-generating process. By re-conceptualising the theoretical notions of manipulation and recruitment, the article offers an approach for studying orientations that distinguish between reciprocity of agential objects. We show that caregivers usually distinguish between interactions with people and machines by anticipating a specific response from the robots (manipulation), while they invite participation in a broader sense from residents (recruitment). Social friction arises, however, if caregivers act upon the residents as embodied objects in manipulative ways.

Systematic Reviews on Human–Animal Interaction Topics: A Look at Reporting Practices

ABSTRACT Mirroring the patterns of primary research, there is a significant and growing increase in the number of systematic reviews (SRs) in the human–animal interaction (HAI) field. This article describes the content of published SRs and compares their reporting practices against the rigorous, prescribed methodologies associated with quality SRs. This study was designed to describe the characteristics of HAI SRs in terms of publication patterns, human subjects, animal(s) of interest, and outcomes and determine the extent to which they follow recommended practices for transparency and reproducibility. Thirteen bibliographic databases were searched for articles containing both an HAI-related term and an SR term. We screened 766 articles for relevance and coded 110 of them for desired data. The majority of reviews (54.55%) were published between 2019 and 2022. Most (65.45%) did not specify the age of human populations studied, but specified ages included children or adolescents, adults, and older adults. A range of human conditions was studied, including, among others, dementia, autism spectrum disorder, and chronic illness. A slight majority of studies (51.82%) did not specify the animal species to be studied, but those that did included, singly or in combination, dogs, horses, robotic animals, and farm or food animals. The majority of studies (63.63%) referred to PRISMA or other methodological guidelines. Across all studies, 163 different databases were searched, with PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL among the most frequently used. Few studies (18.18%) referred to consultation with an information professional. A slight majority (52.72%) provided a full search strategy for at least one database. Most (67.27%) did not include gray literature searches, and most (72.72%) included an assessment of quality or risk of bias for the studies included in their review. In light of their importance in informing practices and policies, and because they are viewed as the most reliable study type, SR reporting in the HAI field should reflect best practices. There is room for improvement in reporting among HAI SRs. Suggestions are offered for ways HAI educators and journal editors may improve SR methodologies and reporting in the field.

Robotic misinformation in dementia care: emotions as sense-making resources in residents' encounters with robot animals.

Robot animals, designed to mimic living beings, pose ethical challenges in the context of caring for vulnerable patients, specifically concerning deception. This paper explores how emotions become a resource for dealing with the misinformative nature of robot animals in dementia care homes. Based on observations of encounters between residents, care workers, and robot animals, the study shows how persons with dementia approach the ambiguous robots as either living beings, material artifacts, or something in-between. Grounded in interactionist theory, the research demonstrates that emotions serve as tools in the sense-making process, occurring through interactions with the material object and in collaboration with care workers. The appreciation of social robots does not solely hinge on them being perceived as real or fake animals; persons with dementia may find amusement in "fake" animals and express fear of "real" ones. This observation leads us to argue that there is a gap between guidelines addressing misinformation and robots and the specific context in which the technology is in use. In situations where small talk and play are essential activities, care workers often prioritize responsiveness to residents rather than making sure that the robot's nature is transparent. In these situations, residents' emotional expressions serve not only as crucial resources for their own sense-making but also as valuable indicators for care workers to comprehend how to navigate care situations.

Embodied essentialism in the reconstruction of the animal sign in robot animal design

Robot animals are important for the interpretation of the biological world. In this paper, I show that specific design solutions for robot animal signs usually privilege the overall perception of biological systems (and animal signs in general) as machinic entities, which ignores the role of identity self-generation and sustainability, the hallmark of biological signs. Animal signs are semiotic systems that operate roughly on three subsystems: affordance mapping (related with niche construction and embeddedness), essence categorization, displaying co-enabling relations within the animal system, and sensorimotor autonomy. Of these interrelated systems, the first two are commonly associated with robot animal design and conceptualization, whereas the third one suffers from the unsolved AI design problem of engineering true context-dependent sensitivity. As a result, a semiotic blindness toward biological organisms has derived in dissociated perceptions of robot animals as objects that emulate their biological counterparts through both biomorphic affordance design (biomorphism) and bioinspired task completion. Robot signs are thus confined to the realm of techno myths populating experimental settings narratives, which contributes to a diminishing awareness of biological diversity and animal uniqueness for the construction and preservation of the Umwelt.

Ethorobotic rats for rodent behavioral research: design considerations.

The development of robots as tools for biological research, sometimes termed "biorobotics", has grown rapidly in recent years, fueled by the proliferation of miniaturized computation and advanced manufacturing techniques. Much of this work is focused on the use of robots as biomechanical models for natural systems. But, increasingly, biomimetic robots are being employed to interact directly with animals, as component parts of ethology studies in the field and behavioral neuroscience studies in the laboratory. While it has been possible to mechanize and automate animal behavior experiments for decades, only recently has there been the prospect of creating at-scale robotic animals containing the sensing, autonomy and actuation necessary for complex, life-like interaction. This not only opens up new avenues of enquiry, but also provides important ways to improve animal welfare, both by reducing or replacing the use of animal subjects, and by minimizing animal distress (if robots are used judiciously). This article will discuss the current state of the art in robotic lab rats, providing perspective on where research could be directed to enable the safe and effective use of biorobotic animals.

PARO ROBOT INTERACTION DECREASES PAIN AND AGITATION SCORES IN HOSPITALIZED OLDER ADULTS WITH ADRD AND/OR DELIRIUM

Abstract Hospitals are stressful for persons with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) and/or delirium. Therapeutic robotic animals, used in long-term care, are gaining traction in hospitals to decrease agitation. The purpose of this RCT was to 1) test the effectiveness of the PARO Robot in decreasing agitation (CMAI-OT) and pain, (PAINAD); 2) quantify the interactions (SIT) with PARO over 2 visits in persons with ADRD and/or delirium. We enrolled 45 intervention and 42 attention control (2 one-hour PARO interactions vs. research assistant interactions) participants. The CMAI-OT and PAINAD were completed at baseline and every 20 minutes X 3 in both groups. No differences between groups on age (M=83.7), gender (63% female), race (77 % Black) number of antipsychotics prescribed [M=1.2 vs M1.5, p=0.14], or baseline CMAI-OT scores PARO vs control [M=9.3 vs M=9.4, p=0.94]. CMAI-OT decreased at 20 minutes in the PARO group [M=3.9 vs. M=7.0, p= .004] and remained lower for the hour but not significantly. PAINAD scores were similar at baseline [M=2.0 vs M=2.2, p=0.65]. PAINAD scores decreased for PARO vs. control [M= 1.64 vs. M= 2.28, p=0.02; M=0.9 vs. M= 1.8, p=0.03] at 20 & 60 minutes day one without differences day two. Participants held PARO; engaged physically; talked to; smiled; and agreed to have PARO return. We demonstrated improved agitation for first 20 minutes of PARO interaction as well as lower pain over the first 60 minutes day one. Findings did not persist through day two. Next steps are to measure emotional responses to PARO.

Emotion and management: How frontline care workers feel about using robot animals in elderly care

Emotion and management: How frontline care workers feel about using robot animals in elderly care

Working with Robotic Animals in Dementia Care: The Significance of Caregivers’ Competences

Robotic animals are increasingly discussed as a solution to challenges connected to the aging population and limited resources in care. While previous research focuses on the robots’ effect on the patients’ well-being, there is a general lack of knowledge regarding the hands-on experience of caregivers’ use of robots. Therefore, the aim of the study is to explore the competences that caregivers draw upon when facilitating interaction between residents and robots. The study was conducted through ethnographic observations and interviews with caregivers at dementia care homes in Sweden. The notion of ‘competence’ is understood as knowledge about the ways of working and social norms that are valued within a community of practice, which members develop through engagement in the community. The findings show that caregivers’ use of robotic animals as caregiving tools rests on embodied, social, and ethical competences.

Human, Robot, and Animal Rights in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick is a brilliant science fiction novel that tries to determine the thresholds of being human. In the book, the boundaries between being a human and an android almost do not exist except for one determinant: lack of empathy in androids. This alleged difference between humans and androids is the most important point of justification for destroying or “retiring” the latter. This brings out the discussion if these robots have any rights because they are portrayed as autonomous and sentient beings. In addition, the novel also questions if human beings can be deprived of their rights and if so in what cases this can happen. Measuring the worth of life then is one of the most significant discussions of the book because the author essentially forces the characters and the readers to contemplate the qualities that make one a human. Furthermore, animal rights also cover an important part of the novel. The difference between authentic and robotic animals as well as their symbolic connotations contribute to the novel’s main theme. In this context, this article aims to reveal how human, robot and animal rights are addressed in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Animatronic dolphins as the new authentic? posthuman reflections of ‘light’ tourism on the move

ABSTRACT Marine parks have successfully positioned themselves as harbingers of ‘once in a lifetime’ experiences for visitors motivated to get close, embodied experiences with dolphins and other cetaceans. Captive animal venues have amplified these experiences by expanding their programs to include ‘fake’ encounters with robotic (animatronic) animals as well as conventional wild encounters. This study sought to investigate the choices of university students on the opportunity to experience either a live swim-with-dolphin tour or an animatronic tour, and if their choices remained stable or changed after an intervention. Results indicate that the intervention strategy significantly impacted students’ choices, inducing them to later choose the animatronic dolphin experience. The paper tests our conceptions about what is real and artificial in charting a path for the future of responsible and sustainable tourism.

Robotic Herding of Farm Animals Using a Network of Barking Aerial Drones

This paper proposes a novel robotic animal herding system based on a network of autonomous barking drones. The objective of such a system is to replace traditional herding methods (e.g., dogs) so that a large number (e.g., thousands) of farm animals such as sheep can be quickly collected from a sparse status and then driven to a designated location (e.g., a sheepfold). In this paper, we particularly focus on the motion control of the barking drones. To this end, a computationally efficient sliding mode based control algorithm is developed, which navigates the drones to track the moving boundary of the animals’ footprint and enables the drones to avoid collisions with others. Extensive computer simulations, where the dynamics of the animals follow Reynolds’ rules, show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

3D solid robot animation design based on ADAMS

3D solid robot animation design based on ADAMS

The Mecha that therefore we are (not): an eco-phenomenological reading of Neon Genesis Evangelion

In the late 1960s, the Japanese animation inaugurated a prolific science fiction strand which addressed the topic of mediated experience. In a context of transnational reception and consumption of anime, the “robotic” subgenre (particularly the one that will be called “mecha” in the 1980s, i.e., narratives of giant robots piloted by a human within) occupies a strategic place. By highlighting the peculiar synergy between themes, forms of storytelling and “out-of-joint” consumption, the Japanese robotic animation series thematized and popularized content and perspectives on mediated experience that I define as “eco-phenomenological”: “phenomenological” because (i) it reevaluates the quality of the subjective experience in its historical and biocultural context; “ecological” because (ii) it look at the environment as an intelligent system; and (iii) it proposed a multidisciplinary approach between the human sciences and the life sciences. The article proposes an analysis of the forms of narration and reception of the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995-1996), in its ability to have intercepted, synthesized and internationally popularized in an innovative and almost unparalleled way, the complexity of the eco-phenomenological perspective. Views and epistemological approaches at the center of the contemporary scientific and cultural debate will be reconstructed, discussed and analyzed through the concepts of body, mind, environment and presence which are promoted in the Evangelion series.

“Rabbit Rescuers”: A School-Based Animal Welfare Education Intervention for Young Children

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effectiveness of a Scottish SPCA animal welfare education intervention, “Rabbit Rescuers,” on 5- to 7-year-old children’s belief in animal minds, rabbit welfare knowledge, attitudes toward cruelty, and attachment to pets. “Rabbit Rescuers” was a one-week intervention comprising daily 15-min rabbit welfare activities delivered in school by classroom teachers. The activities were designed to be age-appropriate and covered key elements of rabbits’ behavior and cognitive abilities, welfare needs (including diet, housing, and natural behaviors), and rabbit care including safe handling and health care (role play as vets). A mixed-method longitudinal design was employed comparing three intervention conditions: mechanical rabbits; soft toy rabbits; and control (education as usual). A sample of 123 children from two age groups (Primary 1 [5- to 6-year-olds] and Primary 2 [6- to 7-year-olds]; 65 boys and 58 girls) in one school participated in the study and were interviewed individually before and after the intervention. Multiple mixed-factor ANOVAs showed that children in the intervention groups improved significantly more than control children in terms of rabbit welfare knowledge, understanding of rabbits as sentient, and attachment to pets. There was also a reduction in attitudes that rabbit cruelty is acceptable among the intervention groups at post-test. The intervention was effective for children regardless of their age. Importantly, the intervention had a stronger impact for children interacting with the interactive mechanical rabbits compared with those who interacted with the soft toy rabbits for all the variables, except for attachment to pets. The findings show that animal welfare education can be effective for young children and that age-appropriate activities support children’s knowledge acquisition and attitude change relating to animal welfare. Importantly, the results highlight that mechanical or robotic animals might be highly effective animal welfare education resources.

Design recommendations for socially assistive robots for health and social care based on a large scale analysis of stakeholder positions: Social robot design recommendations

ObjectivesSocially assistive robots (SAR) may have an important role in health and social care. Design of such SAR can be informed through detailed studies with end-users, but we also need shared understanding of SAR between developers and those influencing policy. We aimed to explore the acceptability of using SAR across a broad range of stakeholders who could influence policy and identify design considerations for developers. MethodsWe gave live demonstrations of a range of SAR rather than passive materials such as pictures, and used an acceptability model (Almere Model) as framework for analysis. Eight exhibitions involved live demonstrations and interaction with two robot animals (Paro and Miro), a humanoid (Pepper) and function-oriented telepresence robot (Padbot). 223 health and social care professionals, service users and small companies participated. Unstructured free interactions with robots were video recorded, transcribed, and content analysed. Themes were mapped onto the Almere Model of acceptability where components and design recommendations were deduced. ResultsThree-quarters of attendees interacted with robots (n=167). Practical design changes identified were: (i) improved mobility for uneven floors and carpets, (ii) improved voice recognition and accent interpretation, (iii) better ease of use (mainly Pepper), (iv) enhanced robustness and battery life/autonomous charging, (v) soft, friendly aesthetics, (vi) anthropomorphic or biomorphic design (non-robotic) for friendliness and social presence, (vii) androgynous appearance. ConclusionHealth and social care stakeholders are open to use of SAR and see potential in this field, however, practical issues such as robustness, battery life, voice/accent recognition and mobility need to be addressed. Public Interest SummaryRobots that interact with people in health and care settings may have an important role in improving wellbeing. Detailed studies with end-users should inform SAR design for specific settings, however policy makers and robot developers must also share understanding of suitable design, for robots to be developed appropriate for health and care contexts.We gave live demonstrations of two robot animals (Paro and Miro), a humanoid (Pepper) and telepresence robot (Padbot) at eight events with 223 health and social care professionals, service users and small companies.Interactions with the robots were video recorded and used to assess their acceptability. Participants saw potential for robot use but identified practical concerns. These were: (i) improved mobility for uneven floors and carpets, (ii) improved voice recognition and accent interpretation, (iii) better ease of use (mainly Pepper), (iv) enhanced robustness and battery life/autonomous charging, (v) soft, friendly aesthetics, (vi) anthropomorphic or biomorphic design (non-robotic) for friendliness and social presence, (vii) androgynous appearance.

Research on the Ideological Origin of the Initial Period of Robot Animation in Japan

Research on the Ideological Origin of the Initial Period of Robot Animation in Japan

Production of Character Animation in a Home Robot: A Case Study of LOVOT

This is a case study focused on the development of LOVOT, a consumer home robot that went on sale in 2019. Since its unveiling in 2018, approximately 20,000 people have visited the LOVOT demonstration event as of the end of July 2019. In practical terms, LOVOT lives at home with the user long-term, similar to a companion animal; LOVOT performs continuous natural motion for user comfort. We applied movements using professional animator techniques based on the principles of traditional animation to LOVOT. We have identified specific practical techniques in home robot animation through iterative prototyping in our synergetic development of character animation techniques and tools. In this paper, we introduce our practical methods to develop many behaviors in a single robotic agent and is the collaborative efforts of a group of people with diverse professional backgrounds. Furthermore, we summarize how traditional techniques of character animation were applied, and new techniques were required from the perspective of professional animators.