Shaping Acceptance:The Role of Design and Context in Human – Robot Dog Interaction

The integration of robots into contemporary society is advancing at full speed, and social and <br/>cultural aspects play a role in shaping the acceptance and adaptation of them. This requires attention to <br/>the personalization and design of robot interaction, and drive for enhanced user experience (UX) in humanrobot interaction and positive attitude toward robots. This paper investigates public perceptions of robots <br/>through two user studies. The first study used focus groups and began with a demonstration of a robot dog, <br/>followed by participants viewing five scenarios featuring the robot. Participants shared their observations <br/>and associations about the robot dog in various environments and engaged in an ideation task to suggest <br/>improvements for acceptability through customization. The second study involved interviews that focused <br/>on the customization of the robot dog, probing participants' acceptance in the same scenarios as the first <br/>study. Key findings indicate that the robot dog's design, particularly dog-like features such as eyes, ears, <br/>and tail, can greatly affect its approachability and acceptance. The study also discusses the impact of <br/>different environments on the robot’s perceived appropriateness and expected tasks. To consolidate these <br/>insights, a model is proposed illustrating how context, design, and social interactions collectively influence <br/>the acceptability of a robot dog in specific scenarios. This study guides designing robots intended for public <br/>tasks.