Hur upplevs en humanoid som servicepersonal i en bilhall? : En studie som undersöker hur kunder i en bilhall upplever en humanoid som anställd med hänsyn till antropomorfism och uncanny valley

Sammanfattning

Robots are constantly evolving, from Da Vinci's first robot to humanoids that exist today and are used in various industries. This study examines how a humanoid is perceived as service staff in a car dealership and this was done through a qualitative case study where semi-structured interviews and on-site observations were combined. These were carried out at Riddermark Bil, which is one of Sweden's largest car dealers for used cars. The theory part is based on the concept of anthropomorphism and the uncanny valley theory which are related and important to customers' acceptance of the robot. Anthropomorphism is about giving non-human objects, such as robots, human properties to make it easier to interact with them. Uncanny valley comes into the picture when these human qualities create an expectation in man that is not achieved by the robot and a feeling of discomfort arises in man. This feeling of discomfort is what characterizes the uncanny valley. The analysis showed that uncanny valley exists in the car dealership with the humanoid and customers, and how the degree of anthropomorphism affects the viewer and the interaction. What turned out overall was that most people, customers and staff, are positive about interacting with a humanoid, but present it does not really meet the expectations placed on it. Finally, it is discussed how uncanny valley affects customers in a car dealership and what the reasons for this are.