Embodied Conversational Interfaces for the Elderly User

Conference paper (2016)

Authors

S. Mehrotra International Institute of Information Technology
Vivian Genaro Motti George Mason University
Helena Frijns Universiteit Leiden
Tugce Akkoc Boğaziçi University
Sena Büşra Yengec Yιldιrιm Beyazιt University
Oguz Calik Atιlιm University
Marieke M.M. Peeters Interactive Intelligence
Research Group
Interactive Intelligence
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Published Date

2016

Language

English

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Research Group

Interactive Intelligence

Abstract

This paper describes the design and development of an embodied conversational agent (ECA) that provides a social interface for older adults. Following a user-centred design approach, we implemented a multimodal agent consisting of a virtual character and a robot. This so-called "bi-bodied conversational agent for elderly" was iteratively refined and developed through participatory design and rapid prototyping in 3 consecutive focus groups with a total of 21 elderly users. In addition to the two bodies, a Wizard-of-Oz control panel was developed, enabling researchers to control both bodies so as to respond to the user's instructions, questions, and remarks. The research resulted in a platform that can be used for future research on elderly-robot and elderly-avatar interaction. In addition, the research resulted in insights about elderly users' preferences regarding the appearance and design of a virtual and a robotic ECA (Embodied Conversational Agent), described in results that can be reused in future experiments involving ECA for elderly users.

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