Behavioral Changes in Passersby by Expanding Embodiment of a Calling Robot

In this study, we aimed to verify whether expanding a robot’s embodiment influenced the ease of inducing behavioral changes in passersby. We conducted a field experiment to call out to passersby for disinfection in a real shop using robots with various embodiments. As a result, the expansion of the robot embodiment attracted extensive attention of passersby, and then induced behavioral changes to the desired action, such as stopping in front of the robot and disinfecting their hands. Furthermore, the results revealed that in order to induce large behavioral changes, not only the presence of the robot’s body but also its movements with strong embodiment were necessary. These results indicated that expanding the robot’s embodiment was an important factor in inducing behavioral changes in passersby.