People respond better to robots than computer tablets delivering healthcare instructions

We compared responses to a robot with responses to a computer in a health context.Participants spoke and smiled more towards the robot than the tablet.Participants were more likely to follow relaxation instructions when given by the robot.The robot was rated more favourably and more likeable than the tablet.Robots can offer advantages over a computer tablet in healthcare. The population of the world is ageing, particularly in developed countries. As the population's age increases, the healthcare workforce is becoming progressively unable to meet the high healthcare demands of the elderly population. Increasingly, technology is being used to solve this dilemma. Using a sample from the general population (n=65), this study examined how people interacted with either a robot or a tablet computer delivering healthcare instructions. During this interaction, the robot/tablet asked them several health-related questions, and to perform limited physical tests and a relaxation exercise. Results showed participants had more positive interactions with the robot compared to the computer tablet, including increased speech and positive emotion (smiling), and participation in the relaxation exercise. Further results showed the robot was rated higher on scales of trust, enjoyment, and desire for future interaction. This suggests that robots may offer benefits over and above computer tablets in delivering healthcare. These results further demonstrate that the physical nature of technology is important in determining responses to healthcare interactions.