Can a teleoperated android represent personal presence? - A case study with children

Abstract

Our purpose is to investigate the key elements for representing personal presence, which is the sense of being with a certain individual. A case study is reported in which children performed daily conversational tasks with a geminoid, a teleoperated android robot that resembles a living individual. Different responses to the geminoid and the original person are examined, especially concentrating on the case where the target child was the daughter of the geminoid source. Results showed that children gradually became adapted to conversation with the geminoid, but the operator's personal presence was not completely represented. Further research topics on the adaptation process to androids and on seeking for the key elements on personal presence are discussed.