飲食陪伴玩偶和機器人的社會臨場感對高齡者情緒、行為、社會支持感影響

Abstract

現今高齡者常獨自吃飯，這些可能會造成高齡者負面的情緒，缺乏社會支持感，或是減少飲食的攝取。本研究提供共食機器人的方案。本研究以社會存在感、社會支持感、情緒和飲食改變等面向設計一個機器人吃飯情境，並請59到 74 歲的獨居或與配偶同居不和孩子同住的長輩，透過實驗執行來評估該經驗。實驗使用自己評估、行為指標和訪談等方法。和玩偶比起來，共食機器人對於受試者感受到的社會支持和飲食時間有顯著的影響。然而因為機器人功能尚未能符合受試者的期待，受試者對於共食機器人和玩偶情緒反應和吃的食物份量沒有顯著差別。整體研究提供機器人與高齡者共食的相關設計與建議。

Eating alone is a significant issue for older adults due to its potential for physical and psychological risks. It is correlated with feeling a lack of support, negative emotions, and eating less. In this study, we proposed the solution to eating with a robot. The prototype of the robot was designed based on the constructs of social presence, social support, emotions, and eating behavior. 22 participants ages 59-74 living alone or with their spouse without children experienced eating with a robot prototype and assessed it in comparison to the stuffed animal. Assessment methods include self- assessments, behavioral measures, and interviews. The experiment results showed that in comparison with a stuffed animal, participants felt social support and have a change in their duration of meals, but there was no significance in the emotions since that the robot has not met their expectations. This study may provide useful insights for artificial commensality with elders.