On the Discrepancy between Present Service Robots and Older Persons ’ Needs

Service robots present many functionalities to assist older users. However, conclusive evidence on usefulness is missing. From overviews of robot functionalities and personal user needs taking into account ethical and therapeutic aspects, we conclude that user needs could be modelled with three layers: the safety and health layer portray today’s service robots and a personal layer covers emotional, social and psychological needs. We conclude that work so far shows a gap to reach up to this level to directly address personal needs.