Can socially assistive robots be used to help people develop healthy habits?

Socially assistive robots (SAR) describes robots that provide assistance to human users
through social rather than physical interaction [1]. SAR encompasses HRI, social, rehabilitation
and service robotics [2]. The applications of SAR can include helping motivate participants to
engage and comply in tasks such as education, well-being and health [3]-[5]. However, the
effectiveness of such robots in these areas is very much dependent on the robot's ability to
persuade the participant. Where persuasion is an activity that involves the persuader (robot)
trying to change the mental state of the persuadee (human) [6].

Previous work done has focused on investigating a SAR's ability to motivate participants to stay
engaged during a task by providing encouragement [5]. Although, active participation during a
training session is essential there hasn't been much work done in using robots to form long
lasting habits. Where habits are a person's automatic response to a frequently encountered
context [7]. Healthy habits can include drinking a glass of water at breakfast or going for a walk
after lunch.

Additionally, there haven't been many longitudinal studies on the effect of long exposure to
persuasive SAR outside of a controlled setting. A two-week field study to teach Japanese
children English using a robot showed a rapid decline in engagement with the robot on the
second week [8]. While different four month user experience study in primary school to teach
language to children showed there was more engagement with the robot when they received a
reward from the robot for correct answers such as lighting up eyes or clapping hands [9]. As a
result, identifying the mechanisms for maintaining a long-term relationship is a crucial area of
for HRI that needs further study. This will include identifying whether the robot needs to
adapt/evolve its responses over weeks or months to maintain high engagement.

There are many verbal and non-verbal immediacies identified from human behaviour research
that play a part in persuasion, these include but are not limited to gaze, gesture and facial
expression [10]. During the initial stages of the PhD an investigation into human psychology
models of persuasion will need to be done to identify which persuasive strategies will be used
and whether persuasive strategies need to be tailored for individuals.

FARSCOPE-TU will deliver a step change in UK capabilities in robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) by elevating technologies from niche to ubiquity. It meets the critical need for advanced RAS, placing the UK in prime position to capture a significant proportion of the estimated $18bn global market in advanced service robotics. FARSCOPE-TU will provide an advanced training network in RAS, pump priming a generation of professional and adaptable engineers and leaders who can integrate fundamental and applied innovation, thereby making impact across all the "four nations" in EPSRC's Delivery Plan. Specifically, it will have significant immediate and ongoing impact in the following six areas:
1. Training: The FARSCOPE-TU coherent strategy will deliver five cohorts trained in state-of-the-art RAS research, enterprise, responsible innovation and communication. Our students will be trained with wide knowledge of all robotics, and deep specialist skills in core domains, all within the context of the 'innovation pipeline', meeting the need for 'can-do' research engineers, unafraid to tackle new and emergent technical challenges. Students will graduate as future thought leaders, ready for deployment across UK research and industrial innovation.
2. Partner and industrial impact: The FARSCOPE-TU programme has been designed in collaboration with our industrial and end-user partners, including: DSTL; Thales; Atkins; Toshiba; Roke Manor Research; Network Rail; BT; National Nuclear Lab; AECOM; RNTNE Hospital; Designability; Bristol Heart Inst.; FiveAI; Ordnance Survey; TVS; Shadow Robot Co.; React AI; RACE (part of UKAEA) and Aimsun. Partners will deliver context and application-oriented training direct to the students throughout the course, ensuring graduates are perfectly placed to transition into their businesses and deliver rapid impact.
3. RAS community: FARSCOPE-TU will act as multidisciplinary centre in robotics and autonomous systems for the whole RAS community, provide an inclusive model for future research and training centres and bring new opportunities for networking between other centres. These include joint annual conference with other RAS CDTs and training exchanges. FARSCOPE-TU will generate significant international exposure within and beyond the RAS community, including major robotics events such as ICRA and IROS, and will interface directly with the UK-RAS network.
4. Societal Impact: FARSCOPE-TU will promote an informed debate on the adoption of autonomous robotics in society, cutting through hype and fear while promoting the highest levels of ethics and safety. All students will design and deliver public engagement events to schools and the public, generating knock-on impact in two ways: greater STEM uptake enhances future economic potential, and greater awareness makes people better users of robots, amplifying societal benefits.
5. Economic impact: FARSCOPE-TU will not only train cohorts in fundamental and applied research but will also demonstrate how to bridge the "technology valley of death" between lower and higher TRL. This will enable students to exploit their ideas in technology incubators (incl. BRL incubator, SetSquared and EngineShed) and through IP protection. FARSCOPE-TU's vision of ubiquitous robotics will extend its impact across all UK industrial and social sectors, from energy suppliers, transport and agriculture to healthcare, aging and human-machine interaction. It will pump-prime ubiquitous UK robotics, inspiring and enabling myriad new businesses and economic and social impact opportunities.
6. Long-term Impact: FARSCOPE-TU will have long-term impact beyond the funded lifetime of the Centre through a network for alumni, enabling knowledge exchange and networking between current and past students, and with partners and research groups. FARSCOPE-TU will have significant positive impact on the 80-strong non-CDT postgraduate student body in BRL, extending best-practice in supervision and training.