Working Together Toward <i>ikigai</i> : Co-Designing Robots That Can Help Us Achieve Meaning and Purpose in Life

Abstract

Robots are commonly envisioned as assisting older adults in physical tasks or providing companionship. But there has been less focus on helping older adults achieve more intangible, but equally important, aspects of wellness, such as a feeling of purpose and meaning in life. Here, we share our experiences working and learning together with older adults on developing a robot that can support their achievement of ikigai---meaning or purpose in life.