{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,13]],"date-time":"2026-04-13T14:48:32Z","timestamp":1776091712312,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":67,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,24]],"date-time":"2023-02-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1677196800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001700","name":"Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001700","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001691","name":"Japan Society for the Promotion of Science","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001691","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Comput. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Robotic assistive technology for frail older adults has drawn attention, along with raising ethical concerns. The ethical implications of a robot's usage have been characterized in the literature as detrimental, such as emotional deception, unhealthy attachment, and reduced human contact from a deontological perspective. These concerns require practical investigations, although the long-term effect of robot usage on older adults remains uncertain. Our longitudinal study aimed to investigate how older adults with cognitive decline could be affected by using a robot for communication in their homes and how this situation could be reflected in possible emotional attachment to the robot i.e., emotional distress from the robot being taken away once they had become attached to it. We selected 13 older adults living alone and set up a humanoid robot in their homes with whom they could interact at any time for a period of 1\u20134 months. Questionnaire results indicated participants had a close attachment to the robots even after they were taken away. Interviews revealed that participants became distressed without the robots; however, despite the distress caused by feeling lonely, participants reported that their relationships with the robots were meaningful and that they were satisfied with the memories of having had the robot as a companion. The results raised new questions for further investigation into issues that should be addressed and potential factors affecting the user's adaptation processes. Regarding the consequences of the use of a companion robot, it is important to evaluate the positive aspects of the robot's usage including the emotional support lasting after it was no longer available and other effects on the users. Accordingly, we emphasize the significance of real-world exploration into the effects on the users as well as theoretical reflection on appropriate robot usage.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fcomp.2023.1129506","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,24]],"date-time":"2023-02-24T06:55:02Z","timestamp":1677221702000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":21,"title":["Long-term effect of the absence of a companion robot on older adults: A preliminary pilot study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"5","author":[{"given":"Ryuji","family":"Yamazaki","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Shuichi","family":"Nishio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Yuma","family":"Nagata","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Yuto","family":"Satake","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Maki","family":"Suzuki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Hideki","family":"Kanemoto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Miyae","family":"Yamakawa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"David","family":"Figueroa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Hiroshi","family":"Ishiguro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Manabu","family":"Ikeda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1863","DOI":"10.1145\/2470654.2466246","article-title":"\u201cBenevolent deception in human computer interaction,\u201d","author":"Adar","year":"2013","journal-title":"Proc. of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"518","DOI":"10.1080\/10400435.2021.1880493","volume":"34","author":"Andtfolk","year":"2022","journal-title":"Assist. Technol."},{"key":"B3","author":"Arendt","year":"1961","journal-title":"Between Past and Future"},{"key":"B4","author":"Beauchamp","year":"2001","journal-title":"Principles of Biomedical Ethics, 5th Edn"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"124","DOI":"10.1080\/09540091.2016.1271400","article-title":"Principles of robotics: regulating robots in the real world","volume":"29","author":"Boden","year":"2017","journal-title":"Connect. Sci."},{"key":"B6","first-page":"46","article-title":"\u201cSelf-report measurement of adult attachment: an integrative overview,\u201d","author":"Brennan","year":"1998","journal-title":"Attachment Theory and Close Relationships"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1007\/s11948-015-9649-x","article-title":"A survey of expectations about the role of robots in robot-assisted therapy for children with ASD: ethical acceptability, trust, sociability, appearance, and attachment","volume":"22","author":"Coeckelbergh","year":"2016","journal-title":"Sci. Eng. Ethics"},{"key":"B8","author":"Collins","year":"2017","journal-title":"Why Democracies Need Science."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"356","DOI":"10.1515\/pjbr-2021-0025","article-title":"AI and robotics to help older adults: revisiting projects in search of lessons learned","volume":"12","author":"Cortellessa","year":"2021","journal-title":"Paladyn. J. Behav. Robot."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"333","DOI":"10.1037\/0882-7974.21.2.333","article-title":"Factors predicting the use of technology: findings from the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE)","volume":"21","author":"Czaja","year":"2006","journal-title":"Psychol. Aging"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"679","DOI":"10.1098\/rstb.2006.2004","article-title":"Socially intelligent robots: dimensions of human - robot interaction","volume":"362","author":"Dautenhahn","year":"2007","journal-title":"Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B Biol. Sci."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"24","DOI":"10.1109\/MRA.2010.940150","article-title":"Ethical principles for socially assistive robotics","volume":"18","author":"Feil-Seifer","year":"2011","journal-title":"IEEE Robot. Autom. Magazine"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"189","DOI":"10.1016\/0022-3956(75)90026-6","article-title":"Mini-mental state. A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician","volume":"12","author":"Folstein","year":"1975","journal-title":"J. Psychiatr. Res."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1315","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(00)02113-9","article-title":"Influence of social network on occurrence of dementia: a community-based longitudinal study","volume":"355","author":"Fratiglioni","year":"2000","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"299","DOI":"10.1007\/s12369-013-0225-8","article-title":"Seven matters of concern of social robots and older people","volume":"6","author":"Frennert","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Soc. Robot."},{"key":"B16","author":"Goodin","year":"1985","journal-title":"Protecting the Vulnerable: A Re-Analysis of our Social Responsibilities"},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.5057\/ijae.13.149","article-title":"Cultural differences in perception and attitude towards robots","volume":"13","author":"Haring","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Affect. Eng."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1080\/15332691.2017.1414530","article-title":"Attachment to technology: the missing link","volume":"17","author":"Hertlein","year":"2018","journal-title":"Innov. Clin. Educ. Interv."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"367","DOI":"10.1109\/HRI.2016.7451774","article-title":"\u201cThe ethical risk of attachment: how to identify, investigate and predict potential ethical risks in the development of social companion robots,\u201d","author":"Huber","year":"2016","journal-title":"11th ACM\/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction"},{"key":"B20","author":"Kant","year":"2005","journal-title":"The Moral Law: Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"465","DOI":"10.1142\/S0219843604000289","article-title":"Who is afraid of the humanoid? Investigating cultural differences in the acceptance of robots","volume":"1","author":"Kaplan","year":"2004","journal-title":"Int. J. Humanoid Robot."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3972","DOI":"10.1109\/ROBOT.2006.1642311","article-title":"\u201cA sociable robot to encourage social interaction among the elderly,\u201d","author":"Kidd","year":"2006","journal-title":"Proc. of the 2006 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation"},{"key":"B23","author":"Kitwood","year":"1997","journal-title":"Dementia Reconsidered: The Person Comes First"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1145\/1168987.1169010","article-title":"\u201cNetworked reminiscence therapy for individuals with dementia by using photo and video sharing,\u201d","author":"Kuwahara","year":"2006","journal-title":"Proceedings ASSETS"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"463","DOI":"10.1109\/HRI.2016.7451807","article-title":"\u201cHuman expectations of social robots,\u201d","author":"Kwon","year":"2016","journal-title":"Proc. of the 2016 11th ACM\/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI)"},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1145\/3526105","volume":"11","author":"Law","year":"2022","journal-title":"ACM Trans. Hum. Robot Interact."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(20)30383-7","article-title":"The association between loneliness and depressive symptoms among adults aged 50 years and older: a 12-year population-based cohort study","volume":"8","author":"Lee","year":"2021","journal-title":"Lancet Psychiatry"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"277","DOI":"10.1080\/00223980.2011.582523","article-title":"Loneliness and mental health in a representative sample of community-dwelling spanish older adults","volume":"146","author":"Losada","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Psychol."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3389\/frobt.2020.00001","article-title":"Designing ethical social robots - a longitudinal field study with older adults","volume":"7","author":"Maris","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Robot. AI"},{"key":"B30","article-title":"\u201cFolding and unfolding human-humanoid robot interactions: an anthropological analysis of play and ritual,\u201d","author":"Mazuz","year":"2022","journal-title":"The Robophilosophy Conference 2022"},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1522\/030824586","author":"Merleau-Ponty","year":"1964","journal-title":"L'\u0152il et l'Esprit"},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1109\/MRA.2012.2192811","article-title":"The uncanny valley [from the field]","volume":"19","author":"Mori","year":"2012","journal-title":"IEEE Robot. Autom. Magazine"},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.15017\/3567","article-title":"Examining reliabilities and validities of adult attachment scales for \u201cthe generalized other.\u201d","volume":"5","author":"Nakao","year":"2004","journal-title":"Kyushu Univ. Psychol. Res."},{"key":"B34","author":"Nancy","year":"1988","journal-title":"L'Exp\u00e9rience de la libert\u00e9"},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2005.1513768","article-title":"\u201cPeople's assumptions of robots: investigation of their relationships with attitudes and emotions towards robots,\u201d","author":"Nomura","year":"2005","journal-title":"Proc. of the 14th IEEE International Workshop on Robot and Human Interactive Communication"},{"key":"B36","first-page":"1","volume":"12","author":"N\u00f8rskov","year":"2023","journal-title":"Android Philosophy and Android Literacy, Robo-Philosophy: Philosophy of, for, and by Social Robotics, Chapter"},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"592","DOI":"10.20965\/jaciii.2011.p0592","article-title":"Exploring the natural reaction of young and aged person with Telenoid in a real world","volume":"15","author":"Ogawa","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Adv. Comput. Intell. Intell. Inform."},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102640","DOI":"10.1016\/j.futures.2020.102640","article-title":"Can robots tackle late-life loneliness? Scanning of future opportunities and challenges in assisted living facilities","volume":"124","author":"Pirhonen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Futures"},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101","DOI":"10.1177\/1533317514539031","article-title":"Developing CIRCA-BC and exploring the role of the computer as a third participant in conversation","volume":"30","author":"Purves","year":"2015","journal-title":"Am. J. Alzheimers Dis. Other Dement."},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/IROS.2008.4650714","article-title":"What do people expect from robots","author":"Ray","year":"2008","journal-title":"Intell. Robots Syst."},{"key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"12","DOI":"10.1007\/s10846-022-01781-3","article-title":"How should your assistive robot look like? A scoping review on embodiment for assistive robots","volume":"107","author":"Ringwald","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Intell. Robot. Syst."},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1337","DOI":"10.1212\/WNL.0000000000200039","article-title":"Association of loneliness with 10-year dementia risk and early markers of vulnerability for neurocognitive decline","volume":"98","author":"Salinas","year":"2022","journal-title":"Neurology"},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"575","DOI":"10.1007\/s12369-016-0362-y","article-title":"Designing commercial therapeutic robots for privacy preserving systems and ethical research practices within the home","volume":"8","author":"Sedenberg","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Soc. Robot."},{"key":"B44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1007\/s10676-010-9234-6","article-title":"Granny and the robots: ethical issues in robot care for the elderly","volume":"14","author":"Sharkey","year":"2012","journal-title":"Ethics Inform. Technol."},{"key":"B45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"309","DOI":"10.1007\/s10676-020-09573-9","volume":"23","author":"Sharkey","year":"2021","journal-title":"Ethics Inform. Technol."},{"key":"B46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"161","DOI":"10.1075\/is.11.2.01sha","article-title":"The crying shame of robot nannies: an ethical appraisal","volume":"11","author":"Sharkey","year":"2010","journal-title":"Interact. Stud."},{"key":"B47","unstructured":"Product Information2022"},{"key":"B48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"305","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1021386708994","article-title":"The march of the robot dogs","volume":"4","author":"Sparrow","year":"2002","journal-title":"Ethics Inform. Technol."},{"key":"B49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1007\/s11023-006-9030-6","article-title":"In the hands of machines? The future of aged care","volume":"16","author":"Sparrow","year":"2006","journal-title":"Minds Mach.ines"},{"key":"B50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3034","DOI":"10.1038\/srep03034","article-title":"Huggable communication medium decreases cortisol levels","volume":"3","author":"Sumioka","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"B51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-540-74853-3_9","volume":"4717","author":"Sung","year":"2007","journal-title":"Proc. of the International Conference on Ubiquitous Computing"},{"key":"B52","year":"1979","journal-title":"The Belmont Report: Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research"},{"key":"B53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1007\/s10846-013-0019-0","article-title":"Evaluation of a small socially-assistive humanoid robot in intelligent homes for the care of the elderly","volume":"76","author":"Torta","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Intell. Robot. Syst."},{"key":"B54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"382","DOI":"10.1159\/000507812","article-title":"Age-related differences in the uncanny valley effect","volume":"66","author":"Tu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Gerontology"},{"key":"B55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"347","DOI":"10.1080\/09540090600868912","article-title":"Relational artifacts with children and elders: the complexities of cybercompanionship","volume":"18","author":"Turkle","year":"2006","journal-title":"Connect. Sci."},{"key":"B56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1687","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2017.01687","article-title":"Older adults perceptions of technology and barriers to interacting with tablet computers: a focus group study","volume":"8","author":"Vaportzis","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"B57","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7208\/chicago\/9780226852904.001.0001","author":"Verbeek","year":"2011","journal-title":"Moralizing Technology: Understanding and Designing the Morality of Things"},{"key":"B58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"851","DOI":"10.1002\/gps.5305","article-title":"Prevalence and determinants of loneliness in people living with dementia: findings from the IDEAL programme","volume":"35","author":"Victor","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Geriatr. Psychiatry"},{"key":"B59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"581","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2006.314452","article-title":"\u201cRobot therapy in a care house: results of case studies,\u201d","author":"Wada","year":"2006","journal-title":"Proc. of the 15th IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN)"},{"key":"B60","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/acprof:oso\/9780195374049.001.0001","author":"Wallach","year":"2009","journal-title":"Moral Machines: Teaching Robots Right From Wrong"},{"key":"B61","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.20965\/jrm.2020.p0032","article-title":"Anxiety reduction through close communication with robotic media in dementia patients and healthy older adults","volume":"32","author":"Yamazaki","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Robot. Mechatron."},{"key":"B62","first-page":"45","article-title":"Robotic media as persuasive technology and its ethical implications in care settings","volume":"12","author":"Yamazaki","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Philos. Ethics Health Care Med."},{"key":"B63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"429","DOI":"10.1007\/s12369-014-0247-x","article-title":"Acceptability of a teleoperated android by senior citizens in danish society","volume":"6","author":"Yamazaki","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Soc. Robot."},{"key":"B64","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"453","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-90525-5_39","article-title":"\u201cA preliminary study of robotic media effects on older adults with mild cognitive impairment in solitude,\u201d","author":"Yamazaki","year":"2021","journal-title":"Social Robotics. ICSR 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science"},{"key":"B65","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1066","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2012.6343890","article-title":"\u201cTeleoperated android as an embodied communication medium: a case study with demented elderlies in a care facility,\u201d","author":"Yamazaki","year":"2012","journal-title":"Proc. of the IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN)"},{"key":"B66","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1350007","DOI":"10.1142\/S0219843613500072","article-title":"Promoting socialization of schoolchildren using a teleoperated android: an interaction study","volume":"10","author":"Yamazaki","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int. J. Humanoid Robot."},{"key":"B67","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"302","DOI":"10.23750\/abm.v89i2.7404","article-title":"The complexity of loneliness","volume":"89","author":"Yanguas","year":"2018","journal-title":"Acta Biomed."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Computer Science"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fcomp.2023.1129506\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,24]],"date-time":"2023-02-24T06:55:12Z","timestamp":1677221712000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fcomp.2023.1129506\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,24]]},"references-count":67,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fcomp.2023.1129506"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fcomp.2023.1129506","relation":{},"ISSN":["2624-9898"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2624-9898","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,24]]},"article-number":"1129506"}}