Method
Study participants will be sitting at a table in a common campus area. GulliBot's team members placed the robot on the table and then walked away. The robot used in each trial will be one of two versions: the device will either have a large camera lens or an array of LEDs attached to the pan/tilt mechanism. The robot will inform the participant that his body is being "scanned," then provide a recommended stretch to improve posture and overall health. As the message is being communicated, the pan/tilt mechanism (with either the lens or LED array attached) will "look" at the participant's face. The participant's subsequent action (or lack thereof) will be recorded by GulliBot's team members. The data will be compared for the two groups under test to determine whether the presence of an eye on a robot impacts its ability to persuade users to take an action.
The experimenters communicated via group text. GulliBot was controlled via WiFi.
The experimenters communicated via group text. GulliBot was controlled via WiFi.
Storyboard
Script
- Hello! My name is Alex.
- Allow me to evaluate your posture.
- Scanning…
- Evaluating posture. Please wait…
- Stretch your arms over your head. Hold them there for 5 seconds.
- Focus on your posture every hour to reduce stress.
- Bye! Someone will pick me up shortly!