title: Social service robots to support independent living : Experiences from a field trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Assistive robots could be a future means to support independent living for seniors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article provides insights into the latest developments in social service robots (SSR) based on the recently finished HOBBIT project. The idea of the HOBBIT project was to develop a low-cost SSR which is able to reduce the risk of falling, to detect falls and handle emergencies in private homes. The main objective of the project was to raise the technology to a level that allows the robot to be fully autonomously deployed in the private homes of older users and to evaluate technology market readiness, utility, usability and affordability under real-world conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the initial phase of the project, a first prototype (PT1) was developed. The results of laboratory tests with PT1 were used for the development of a second prototype (PT2), which was finally tested in seven households of senior adults (mean age 79 years) for 3 weeks each, i.e. in total more than 5 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that PT2 is intuitive to handle and that the functions offered meet the needs of older users; however, the robot was considered more as a toy than a supportive device for independent living. Furthermore, despite an emergency function of the robot, perceived security did not increase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reasons for this might be a lack of technological robustness and slow performance of the prototype and also the good health conditions of the users; however, users believed that a market-ready version of the robot would be vital for supporting people who are more fragile and more socially isolated. Thus, SSRs have the potential to support independent living of older people although the technology has to be considerably improved to reach market readiness.
authors.affiliation: Akademie für Altersforschung am Haus der Barmherzigkeit, Seeböckgasse 30a, 1160, Wien, Austria. juergen.pripfl@fhstp.ac.at.
authors.forename: J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4909-2535
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pripfl
authors.affiliation: Akademie für Altersforschung am Haus der Barmherzigkeit, Seeböckgasse 30a, 1160, Wien, Austria.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Körtner
authors.affiliation: Akademie für Altersforschung am Haus der Barmherzigkeit, Seeböckgasse 30a, 1160, Wien, Austria.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Batko-Klein
authors.affiliation: Akademie für Altersforschung am Haus der Barmherzigkeit, Seeböckgasse 30a, 1160, Wien, Austria.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hebesberger
authors.affiliation: Akademie für Altersforschung am Haus der Barmherzigkeit, Seeböckgasse 30a, 1160, Wien, Austria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weninger
authors.affiliation: Akademie für Altersforschung am Haus der Barmherzigkeit, Seeböckgasse 30a, 1160, Wien, Austria.|Zentrum für Geriatrische Medizin und Geriatrische Pflege, Donau Universität Krems, Krems, Austria.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gisinger
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008328:Man-Machine Systems; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012656:Self-Help Devices / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012944:Social Support; D013548:Sweden; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014600:Utilization Review
keywords: Assistive technologies; Falls; Independent living; Robotics; Technology acceptance