In this study, we investigated people's relationships with AIBO, a robotic pet, through 6,438 spontaneous postings in online AIBO discussion forums. Results showed that AIBO psychologically engaged this group of participants, particularly by drawing forth conceptions of technological essences (75%), life-like essences (49%), mental states (60%), and social rapport (59%). However, participants seldom attributed moral standing to AIBO (e.g., that AIBO deserves respect, has rights, or can be held morally accountable for action). Our discussion focuses on how robotic pets (now and in the future) may (a) challenge traditional boundaries (e.g. between who or what can possess feelings), (b) extend our conceptions of self, companionship, and community, and (c) begin to replace interactions with live pets. We also discuss a concern that people in general, and children in particular, may fall prey to accepting robotic pets without the moral responsibilities (and moral developmental outcomes) that real, reciprocal companionship and cooperation involves. This research contributes to a growing literature on the human-robotic relationship.

Value Sensitive Design is a theoretically grounded approach to the design of technology that accounts for human values in a principled and comprehensive manner throughout the design process. It employs an integrative and iterative tripartite methodology, consisting of conceptual, empirical, and technical investigations. We explicate Value Sensitive Design by drawing on three case studies. The first study concerns information and control of web browser cookies, implicating the value of informed consent. The second study concerns using high-definition plasma displays in an office environment to provide a “window ” to the outside world, implicating the values of physical and psychological well-being and privacy in public spaces. The third study concerns an integrated land use, transportation, and environmental simulation system to support public deliberation and debate on major land use and transportation decisions, implicating the values of fairness, accountability, and support for the democratic process, as well as a highly diverse range of values that might be held by different stakeholders, such as environmental sustainability, opportunities for business expansion, or walkable neighborhoods. We conclude with direct and practical suggestions for how to engage in Value

Abstract — In this paper, we present evidence that although current models for introduction of robotic companions stress individual encounters, a social community alternative is promising. This argument emerges from an experiment we conducted with a small interactive robot at two local nursing homes. Here we give a brief introduction to the robot and our experience at the homes. We compare the robot used to a semi-robotic toy whose use initially suggested to us the benefits of social community models in the presentation of robotics to the elderly. We find that even where individual encounters are significant, sensitivity to social dimensions improve the benefits of these encounters. I.

We describe an experiment that we have conducted in our CS1 course, where we used the robot dogs AIBO for a laboratory assignment. We briefly outline the course objectives, motivate the choice of using robotics and, in particular, of using the AIBOs in the course, and provide details on the software we developed for the lab assignment.

Abstract — Socially Assistive Robotics focuses on helping human users through social rather than physical interaction [1]. This paper describes the broad scope of socially assistive robotics, focusing on a general description of robotic technologies that have been and are currently being developed to assist people with disabilities. The paper then proposes the grand challenges of this field, and a list of milestones for achieving those the next five to ten years.

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While expressiveness in human communication is a natural and widely observed phenomenon, in studies of humans interacting with robots and screen agents it is relatively unexplored. If it occurs however, this could mean that the artificial personality is accepted as a conversation partner by the user. An experiment with a robot and a screen agent in an eldercare institution both in a more and less expressive condition shows that it occurs: participants showed indeed more expressiveness with a more expressive robot or agent. The effect seemed to be stronger for the robot. Although the robot differed in more ways from the agent, this could be an indication of agent embodiment being a moderating factor.