Comparing Ultrasonic and Force Feedback to Foster Older Adults’ Engagement in Cognitive Activities Facilitated by a Social Robot

Emilyann Nault; Lynne Baillie; Frank Broz

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-70061-3_30

Comparing Ultrasonic and Force Feedback to Foster Older Adults’ Engagement in Cognitive Activities Facilitated by a Social Robot

Emilyann Nault^*, Lynne Baillie, Frank Broz

^*Corresponding author for this work

Interactive Intelligence

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volume › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Engaging in cognitive activities early and regularly has been shown to improve cognitive performance and delay the natural progression of cognitive decline for older adults. Many factors can make it difficult to achieve this, such as lack of engagement, highlighting the potential for technology to enhance engagement with cognitive activities. This paper investigates the unique combination of haptic feedback and a Socially Assistive Robot (SAR) during categorization-based activities. In this experiment, passive and active kinesthetic force feedback led to improvements in factors such as usability and affective state compared to non-contact cutaneous (ultrasonic) feedback. The robot facilitation positively impacted older adults’ performance and their perception of usability and interactivity compared to using a laptop. Some design considerations emerged including the themes of control and informativeness of haptic feedback and the proxemics of the robot. This work supports the combination of haptic feedback, specifically force feedback, along with a SAR to foster engagement with cognitive activities for older adults.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Haptics
Subtitle of host publication	Understanding Touch; Technology and Systems; Applications and Interaction
Editors	Hiroyuki Kajimoto, Pedro Lopes, Claudio Pacchierotti, Cagatay Basdogan, Monica Gori, Betty Lemaire-Semail, Maud Marchal
Place of Publication	Cham
Publisher	Springer
Pages	372-384
Number of pages	13
Volume	2
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-031-70061-3
ISBN (Print)	978-3-031-70060-6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-70061-3_30
Publication status	Published - 2025
Event	14th International Conference on Human Haptic Sensing and Touch Enabled Computer Applications, EuroHaptics 2024 - Lille, France Duration: 30 Jun 2024 → 3 Jul 2024 https://eurohaptics.org/ehc2024/

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume	14769 LNCS
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Conference

Conference	14th International Conference on Human Haptic Sensing and Touch Enabled Computer Applications, EuroHaptics 2024
Abbreviated title	EuroHaptics 2024
Country/Territory	France
City	Lille
Period	30/06/24 → 3/07/24
Internet address	https://eurohaptics.org/ehc2024/

Bibliographical note

Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care
Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.

Keywords

Cognitive activities
Haptic feedback
Kinesthetic force feedback
Older adults
Socially assistive robots
Ultrasonic feedback

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-031-70061-3_30

Cite this

Nault, E., Baillie, L., & Broz, F. (2025). Comparing Ultrasonic and Force Feedback to Foster Older Adults’ Engagement in Cognitive Activities Facilitated by a Social Robot. In H. Kajimoto, P. Lopes, C. Pacchierotti, C. Basdogan, M. Gori, B. Lemaire-Semail, & M. Marchal (Eds.), Haptics: Understanding Touch; Technology and Systems; Applications and Interaction (Vol. 2, pp. 372-384). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); Vol. 14769 LNCS). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-70061-3_30

Nault, Emilyann ; Baillie, Lynne ; Broz, Frank. / Comparing Ultrasonic and Force Feedback to Foster Older Adults’ Engagement in Cognitive Activities Facilitated by a Social Robot. Haptics: Understanding Touch; Technology and Systems; Applications and Interaction. editor / Hiroyuki Kajimoto ; Pedro Lopes ; Claudio Pacchierotti ; Cagatay Basdogan ; Monica Gori ; Betty Lemaire-Semail ; Maud Marchal. Vol. 2 Cham : Springer, 2025. pp. 372-384 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)).

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abstract = "Engaging in cognitive activities early and regularly has been shown to improve cognitive performance and delay the natural progression of cognitive decline for older adults. Many factors can make it difficult to achieve this, such as lack of engagement, highlighting the potential for technology to enhance engagement with cognitive activities. This paper investigates the unique combination of haptic feedback and a Socially Assistive Robot (SAR) during categorization-based activities. In this experiment, passive and active kinesthetic force feedback led to improvements in factors such as usability and affective state compared to non-contact cutaneous (ultrasonic) feedback. The robot facilitation positively impacted older adults{\textquoteright} performance and their perception of usability and interactivity compared to using a laptop. Some design considerations emerged including the themes of control and informativeness of haptic feedback and the proxemics of the robot. This work supports the combination of haptic feedback, specifically force feedback, along with a SAR to foster engagement with cognitive activities for older adults.",

keywords = "Cognitive activities, Haptic feedback, Kinesthetic force feedback, Older adults, Socially assistive robots, Ultrasonic feedback",

author = "Emilyann Nault and Lynne Baillie and Frank Broz",

note = "Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.; 14th International Conference on Human Haptic Sensing and Touch Enabled Computer Applications, EuroHaptics 2024, EuroHaptics 2024 ; Conference date: 30-06-2024 Through 03-07-2024",

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language = "English",

isbn = "978-3-031-70060-6",

volume = "2",

series = "Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)",

publisher = "Springer",

pages = "372--384",

editor = "Hiroyuki Kajimoto and Pedro Lopes and Claudio Pacchierotti and Cagatay Basdogan and Monica Gori and Betty Lemaire-Semail and Maud Marchal",

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url = "https://eurohaptics.org/ehc2024/",

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Nault, E, Baillie, L & Broz, F 2025, Comparing Ultrasonic and Force Feedback to Foster Older Adults’ Engagement in Cognitive Activities Facilitated by a Social Robot. in H Kajimoto, P Lopes, C Pacchierotti, C Basdogan, M Gori, B Lemaire-Semail & M Marchal (eds), Haptics: Understanding Touch; Technology and Systems; Applications and Interaction. vol. 2, Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), vol. 14769 LNCS, Springer, Cham, pp. 372-384, 14th International Conference on Human Haptic Sensing and Touch Enabled Computer Applications, EuroHaptics 2024, Lille, France, 30/06/24. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-70061-3_30

Comparing Ultrasonic and Force Feedback to Foster Older Adults’ Engagement in Cognitive Activities Facilitated by a Social Robot. / Nault, Emilyann; Baillie, Lynne; Broz, Frank.
Haptics: Understanding Touch; Technology and Systems; Applications and Interaction. ed. / Hiroyuki Kajimoto; Pedro Lopes; Claudio Pacchierotti; Cagatay Basdogan; Monica Gori; Betty Lemaire-Semail; Maud Marchal. Vol. 2 Cham: Springer, 2025. p. 372-384 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); Vol. 14769 LNCS).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volume › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

TY - GEN

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AU - Baillie, Lynne

AU - Broz, Frank

N1 - Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Engaging in cognitive activities early and regularly has been shown to improve cognitive performance and delay the natural progression of cognitive decline for older adults. Many factors can make it difficult to achieve this, such as lack of engagement, highlighting the potential for technology to enhance engagement with cognitive activities. This paper investigates the unique combination of haptic feedback and a Socially Assistive Robot (SAR) during categorization-based activities. In this experiment, passive and active kinesthetic force feedback led to improvements in factors such as usability and affective state compared to non-contact cutaneous (ultrasonic) feedback. The robot facilitation positively impacted older adults’ performance and their perception of usability and interactivity compared to using a laptop. Some design considerations emerged including the themes of control and informativeness of haptic feedback and the proxemics of the robot. This work supports the combination of haptic feedback, specifically force feedback, along with a SAR to foster engagement with cognitive activities for older adults.

AB - Engaging in cognitive activities early and regularly has been shown to improve cognitive performance and delay the natural progression of cognitive decline for older adults. Many factors can make it difficult to achieve this, such as lack of engagement, highlighting the potential for technology to enhance engagement with cognitive activities. This paper investigates the unique combination of haptic feedback and a Socially Assistive Robot (SAR) during categorization-based activities. In this experiment, passive and active kinesthetic force feedback led to improvements in factors such as usability and affective state compared to non-contact cutaneous (ultrasonic) feedback. The robot facilitation positively impacted older adults’ performance and their perception of usability and interactivity compared to using a laptop. Some design considerations emerged including the themes of control and informativeness of haptic feedback and the proxemics of the robot. This work supports the combination of haptic feedback, specifically force feedback, along with a SAR to foster engagement with cognitive activities for older adults.

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KW - Haptic feedback

KW - Kinesthetic force feedback

KW - Older adults

KW - Socially assistive robots

KW - Ultrasonic feedback

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Nault E, Baillie L, Broz F. Comparing Ultrasonic and Force Feedback to Foster Older Adults’ Engagement in Cognitive Activities Facilitated by a Social Robot. In Kajimoto H, Lopes P, Pacchierotti C, Basdogan C, Gori M, Lemaire-Semail B, Marchal M, editors, Haptics: Understanding Touch; Technology and Systems; Applications and Interaction. Vol. 2. Cham: Springer. 2025. p. 372-384. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)). doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-70061-3_30

Comparing Ultrasonic and Force Feedback to Foster Older Adults’ Engagement in Cognitive Activities Facilitated by a Social Robot

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