Title
How do you like me in this: user embodiment preferences for companion agents
Abstract
We investigate the relationship between the embodiment of an artificial companion and user perception and interaction with it. In a Wizard of Oz study, 42 users interacted with one of two embodiments: a physical robot or a virtual agent on a screen through a role-play of secretarial tasks in an office, with the companion providing essential assistance. Findings showed that participants in both condition groups when given the choice would prefer to interact with the robot companion, mainly for its greater physical or social presence. Subjects also found the robot less annoying and talked to it more naturally. However, this preference for the robotic embodiment is not reflected in the users' actual rating of the companion or their interaction with it. We reflect on this contradiction and conclude that in a task-based context a user focuses much more on a companion's behaviour than its embodiment. This underlines the feasibility of our efforts in creating companions that migrate between embodiments while maintaining a consistent identity from the user's point of view.
Year
DOI
Venue
2012
10.1007/978-3-642-33197-8_12
IVA
Keywords
Field
DocType
robotic embodiment,user perception,physical robot,condition group,artificial companion,oz study,companion agent,essential assistance,user embodiment preference,actual rating,consistent identity,robot companion
Social psychology,Computer science,Virtual agent,Robot,Perception,Wizard of oz,Contradiction
Conference
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
10
0.62
17
Authors
5
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Elena Segura110618.67
Michael Kriegel2798.79
Ruth Aylett31377170.50
Amol Deshmukh45811.09
Henriette Cramer545330.36