When a Robot Turns into a Totem: the RoboBeggar Case

Abstract

Despite some unwanted and unforeseen conditions and events, the robot RoboBeggar received mainly positive reactions from users with regard to its functionality, its interactive tasks and its ability to create fun and amusement during the interactive learning process. The robot was successful in its essential fundraising and supportive purposes. An analysis of the assembled data (from interviews, the newspaper article and from user and participant feedback) highlights the reasons why and the mechanisms by means of which the robot was transformed into a social totem that elicited some highly emotional reactions. It is apparent that the humanoid appearance of the robot and its verbal skills and appeal were among the main elements that elicited emotional responses from people and influenced their subsequent behaviour. This research tends to confirm that is through the agency of human imagination and perception that a robotic tool (in our case, the RoboBeggar) can be transformed into a totem of social value and effectiveness. It also became clear to the researchers that it is not only design and implementation that are important for the successful operation of a fundraising robot but that the robot's selfpresentation and social aura are also crucially important factors for an overall understanding of why such a robot may be successful. The test case conducted in the Kupittaa Mall clearly shows how presentation and social aura compensated for the partial failure of the RoboBeggar's implementation. It is also clear that interpersonal and cultural elements influenced the way in which people perceived, accepted and responded to the robot as a potential personal interlocutor. It is now clear that future developers of this model might do well to look at the possibility of technological improvement in the interface and e-learning modules. It is also clear that additional studies are required to investigate the emotional and psychological responses of users to advanced technological equipment that elicits emotional responses in human beings. It is also fundamentally important to be able to define exactly how influential both the hardware and software are in human-robot interactions so that effective guidance can be given to the designers of anthropomorphic robots of this kind. It is also important to be able to define the effect that particular physical environments and locations have on the efficiency of a humanoid robot's function so that it will be possible to place a robot in optimal situations for interacting with human beings.