Social robots, music and movement: Older people's perceptions of the Pepper training robot

Abstract

Social robotics is considered an emerging technology in the educational context. This research aims to understand the perceptions of older people on the use of social robots in their education through music and movement. To this end, a sequence of activities was designed with the social robot Pepper, which acted as an assistant monitor in a physical exercise class. The study, with a mixed design and a descriptive and inferential approach, involved 41 elderly people who attend weekly training activities at a Day Centre. Data were collected with this convenience sample using an adapted version of a previously validated questionnaire, as well as three focus groups, all based on the conceptual framework of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). The results point to favourable evaluations regarding the use of Pepper for educational purposes, highlighting the importance of including music in this training. This work can contribute to a better understanding of how older people perceive the use of social robots in order to involve them in their design and development based on Artificial Intelligence.