Patients' Trust in Hospital Transport Robots: Evaluation of the Role of User Dispositions, Anxiety, and Robot Characteristics

摘要

For designing the interaction with robots in healthcare scenarios, understanding how trust develops in such situations characterized by vulnerability and uncertainty is important. The goal of this study was to investigate how technology-related user dispositions, anxiety, and robot characteristics influence trust. A second goal was to substantiate the association between hospital patients' trust and their intention to use a transport robot. In an online study, patients, who were currently treated in hospitals, were introduced to the concept of a transport robot with both written and video-based material. Participants evaluated the robot several times. Technology-related user dispositions were found to be essentially associated with trust and the intention to use. Furthermore, hospital patients' anxiety was negatively associated with the intention to use. This relationship was mediated by trust. Moreover, no effects of the manipulated robot characteristics were found. In conclusion, for a successful implementation of robots in hospital settings patients' individual prior learning history - e.g., in terms of existing robot attitudes - and anxiety levels should be considered during the introduction and implementation phase.