DISRUPT

Designing Innovative Social Robots through end-User ParTicipation (DISRUPT)

The DISRUPT project aims to co-create a blueprint for the development of social robots for older adults.

Why is this research important?

Social robots have huge potential to support older adults. They are interactive, can be used to help with activities of daily living, and may reduce stress and loneliness. However, despite their benefits, few older adults use them.

This project explores barriers and facilitators for social robot use and collaborates with experts and persons with lived experience to co-design a new method for developing social robots.

DISRUPT showcases the benefit of working with older adults as partners in research.

What did we do?

We established an older adult advisory group, ‘The League’. League members provide valuable insights and expertise that ensure our research remains meaningful and reflective of older adults’ needs, values, and preferences.

We conducted surveys, co-creation workshops, and focus groups to explore key issues around the use of social robotic technologies from the perspectives of older adults, people living with dementia, and their care partners.

What did we find?

Our research reveals that older adults:

Desire to use social robots for interaction, connecting with others, and companionship.
Want social robots to be expressive and produce emotionally appropriate responses.
Feel that they may be stigmatised for using a social robot in public.
Evaluate assistive technologies by their ability to promote independence, affordability, ease of use, and ethical considerations.

Publications & Media

Publication | Older adult perspectives on emotion and stigma in social robots

Publication | User perspectives on emotionally aligned social robots for older adults and persons living with dementia

Publication | “Functioning better is doing better”: older adults’ priorities for the evaluation of assistive technology

Blogpost | Stigma around technology use by older adults

Team Members

Dr. Julie Robillard
Principal Investigator

Dr. Jill Dosso
Postdoctoral Fellow

Mallorie Tam
Research Program Manager

Katarzyna Kabacińska
PhD Candidate

Jaya Kailley
Research Assistant

Susanna Martin
Research Assistant

Co-Investigators:
Dr. Jesse Hoey (Co-investigator – University of Waterloo)
Dr. François Michaud (Co-investigator – University of Sherbrooke)
Dr. Tony Prescott (Partner - Consequential Robotics)
Dr. Chris Nugent (Partner - Smart Environments Research Group, University of Ulster)

The League (Lived Experience Expert Group)