Work

Evaluating the Physical Appeal of Elderly Companion Robots: A Study of Cuteness Versus Anthropomorphism

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The extent of anthropomorphism in robot design has long been a topic of scholarly interest. However, the question of whether the elderly prefer robots that are "cute" or "human-like" remains unanswered. This study introduces the concept of cuteness, the degree of anthropomorphism, and other physical attributes as reference points. Using grey relational analysis, we evaluate the correlation between five appearance features of six companion robots and five affective evaluation indicators of the elderly. The study concludes that cuteness significantly correlates with perceptions of warmth and friendliness. The ranking of the correlation between the five affective evaluations and each appearance feature is as follows: brightness > glossiness > cuteness > anthropomorphism > saturation. This suggests that elderly individuals prefer companion robots that are cute rather than anthropomorphic. The findings of this study provide guidance for the design of companion robots for the elderly and offer new insights and methods for similar product design evaluations.

Source: IEEE Access

DOI: 10.1109/access.2025.3558896

Authors: Qi Li, Leyao Wang

Institution: Fuzhou University

Language: English

Topic: Social Robot Interaction and HRI

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,075

Funder: National Social Science Fund of China