Adoption of Home Service Robots: Exploring Household Differences in Perceived Usefulness

As service robots increasingly penetrate households, researchers have identified the factors that influence users’ intention to adopt them. Although sociodemographic aspects such as age and gender have been widely studied, gaps remain in considering household composition, particularly between single- and multi-person households. This study addresses this gap through a case study conducted in South Korea that examines how the perceived usefulness of home service robots for various tasks—such as basic and complex household chores, personal care, leisure and companionship, and healthcare—affects the intention to adopt them. An online survey of 400 participants was analyzed using partial least-squares structural equation modeling. The results indicate that the perceived usefulness of robots in performing basic household chores (β = 0.34, p-value < 0.01) and leisure and companionship tasks (β = 0.32, p-value < 0.01) significantly affects intention to use across household types, whereas their perceived usefulness in handling complex household chores (β = -0.33, p-value < 0.01) and healthcare tasks (β = 0.24, p-value < 0.05) varies depending on household composition. This study contributes to the literature by addressing an understudied area and emphasizing the unique needs of the home context. By using household type as a moderating variable, it provides a novel framework for understanding how consumer acceptance of home service robots is influenced by evolving household dynamics. These findings lay the groundwork for future research on the development and implementation of home service robots in the context of changing household compositions.