Children Perceived Perception of a Mini-Humanoid Social Robot Based on a Psychometric Scale: A Pilot Study in Greece

Abstract

There is a growing interest in the integration of social robots in different applications in our daily lives. However, it can be challenging to design a social robot that is perceived positively among the target end-users. Psychometric scales can be used to give insights and assist in the designing of an acceptable social robot. In this study, the Greek adaptation of the Human-Robot Interaction Evaluation Scale (HRIES) has been considered to evaluate the attitude of children toward a developed social robot. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 40 neurotypical children before and after interacting with the social robot. The results showed no statistical differences due to gender. The analysis of the questionnaire scores revealed changes in the children’s perceptions after the session with the robot. This implies that direct interactions with a social robot helped in altering existing perceived attitudes toward social robots. Assessment tools, such as psychometric scales, are necessary to evaluate the acceptability of social robots.