Exploring human mental models of robots through explicitation interviews

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study exploring how mental models of a mechanoid robot using dog-inspired affective cues behaviour emerges and impacts the evaluation of the robot after the viewing of a video of an assistive robotics scenario interaction with the robot. It discusses this using contrasting case studies based on the analysis of explicitation interviews with three participants. The analysis suggests that while for some users zoomorphic cues may aid in initial interactions, they need to be framed in an authentic interaction, highlighting the actual capabilities of the robot as a technological artifact, and how these impact the everyday life and interests of the potential user.Manuscript received March 1, 2010. This research was conducted as part of the EU Integrated Project LIREC (LIving with Robots and intEractive Companions) and funded by European Commision FP7-ICT under contract FP7-21555