We are proud to share our latest research, “The Influence of Robot Facial Expression and Inclusion Behavior on Rapport and Trust in Older Adults: Mixed-Factorial Experimental Study,” recently published in the prestigious journal JMIR Aging.

As the global population ages, the WHO highlights the importance of maintaining social relationships for functional ability. Social robots offer a scalable way to reduce social isolation, but their effectiveness depends on the quality of human-robot interaction. Until now, the impact of robot facial expressions and social behaviors on rapport with older adults has received limited attention. In a 2x2 mixed-factorial experiment with 53 community-dwelling older adults, our team examined how manipulated facial expressions and interaction styles influenced engagement with humanoid robots (Radish Squat 蘿蔔蹲). Results showed that positive social cues, particularly happy facial expressions, significantly improved robot acceptance, rapport, and trust. The positive effects were amplified in exclusive interaction conditions. Behavioral data indicated that older adults preferred the exclusive robot, likely due to fairness-based turn-taking strategies, perceiving robots as social entities deserving equitable treatment.

This research provides crucial, evidence-based guidelines for HRI designers and engineers. By fine-tuning a robot’s nonverbal cues and interaction algorithms, we can create more effective social companions that foster trust and support the relational dimensions of healthy aging.

Read the Full paper here:  

🔗 Yueh, H. P., Lin, K.C., & Lin, W.* (2026). The influence of robot facial expression and inclusion behavior on rapport and trust in older adults: Mixed-factorial experimental study. JMIR Aging, 2026, 9:e91235, https://doi.org/10.2196/91235

研究室的最新研究成果發表於頂尖期刊 JMIR Aging，探討機器人表情與互動方式對高齡者信任的影響。研究發現機器人的開心表情能顯著提升高齡者的接受度與共鳴，更有趣的是，在面對排斥機器人時，高齡參與者基於公平輪流的心態，反而會主動增加與排斥機器人的互動，顯示高齡者將社會機器人視為一個平等的社交個體。本研究為促進健康老化(Healthy aging)的社會機器人設計提供了關鍵的實證指引。