Beauty in Interaction : A Framework for Social Robot Aesthetics (Pandemic Edition)

Abstract

Social machines have held public fascination in one way or another for a good part of the past centuries. From talking cars to singing clocks, humans have delved into the indulgence of possibilities of creating technology that can not only do our deeds but be our friends. Along with the social distancing and lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, the social needs of human beings have become ever more pronounced. Even hugs seem to be a forbidden luxury these days. Robot form has been the main focus of studies in human preference. This chapter delves beneath the skin to understand social robot aesthetics (SoRAEs) in terms of the building blocks of social interaction and embodied experience. We focus on explaining the rationale and development of a framework of SoRAEs that connects deep theory to practical design and development action.