In Current Research
Shown below is a portion of a graphic from a recent article on the uncanny valley (Mathur & Reichling, 2016). Participants ranked real-world robots from least to most humanoid. This can by considered synonymous to mapping them onto the uncanny valley. Robot number 54 was the halfway point of the spectrum, anything above it appears to fall into the uncanny valley. On the graphic, you can see ASIMO (number 31), NAO (number 33), and Zeno (number 56). PARO and Hasbro's companion cat, being non-humanoid robots, wouldn't fall into this listing but are generally considered cute and well-accepted by the user. Interestingly, this puts the robots used in autism therapy much higher on the humanoid spectrum than those used for elder assistance, showing how the uncanny valley has been harnessed for therapeutic purposes in the case of autism and avoided to suit the needs of the elderly population.
Future Directions
The future seen in Robot & Frank may not be as distant as we think. Huge strides are being made in technologies designed to help those afflicted with dementia or autism, robots may become increasingly more common in our daily lives.
Researchers and developers are overcoming the challenges of user acceptance of these robots by making them appear inviting and even cute. Robots like PARO and ASIMO are likely to be embraced by their target population due to their ability to avoid falling into the dreaded Uncanny Valley.
By conducting more rigorous investigations on the benefits and shortcomings of the currently available therapeutic robots and designing new robots with the user's specific needs in mind, it will be possible to create an ideal tool to aid these populations both in a therapeutic setting and in their daily lives. We have already come a long way in robot design, and the future looks promising.
Researchers and developers are overcoming the challenges of user acceptance of these robots by making them appear inviting and even cute. Robots like PARO and ASIMO are likely to be embraced by their target population due to their ability to avoid falling into the dreaded Uncanny Valley.
By conducting more rigorous investigations on the benefits and shortcomings of the currently available therapeutic robots and designing new robots with the user's specific needs in mind, it will be possible to create an ideal tool to aid these populations both in a therapeutic setting and in their daily lives. We have already come a long way in robot design, and the future looks promising.