Evolutionary role model and basic emotions of service robots originated from computers

This paper proposes an evolutionary role model for service robots with LCD touch panels such as home robots, and suggests the necessity of reestablishment of robot emotions on the basis of the new role model. The typical HRI-based peer role model is appropriate for the android, the future intelligent robot, but it failed to take into account the state of temporary robotics. In this study, a role model was proposed by allowing for the evolutionary aspects in step with the level of robot technology. Also, the feasibility of the proposed evolutionary role model was demonstrated through the experiments after parents and children interacted with a home robot that had various functions for family members. The results showed that the expected roles of home robots are user, secretary, and peer. Most of parents thought of them as human-like machines while children regarded them as peers. Home robot´s facial expressions depend on their roles. So, we investigated the facial expression set of home robots at work and compared them with Ekman´s. We also hypothesized that if the facial expression set for a home robot at work is different from the expected one, it had a significant impact on evaluation. The results suggested the necessity of new modelling of facial expressions for home robots based on the evolutionary role model.