With Every Breath
Testing the Effects of Soft Robotic Surfaces on Attention and Stress
We report on the effects of a novel soft robot of our design on emotional wellbeing. Participants (N=94) engaged with our soft robotic surface designed to simulate the benefits of nature and provide a therapeutic behavioral intervention. The study assessed group differences in attention, perceived restorativeness, and self-reported stress between three groups: a group that performed a breathing exercise with the robot, a group that watched the robot perform an ocean-inspired movement designed to capture involuntary attention, and a control where the robot was static. The Breathing Group had a significant reduction in self-reported stress compared to the Control Group. Significant differences in attention and perceived restoration were not found. Qualitative feedback suggested the robot did provide a positive distraction in the environment and participants were generally favorable to the robot, characterizing it as soothing and fascinating. Feedback on the sensory qualities showed that people who did not initially enjoy the texture or sound often acclimated to the novelty of the surface with improved perceptions over time. These findings suggest the promise of soft robots to support mental wellbeing.
Full paper can be read here:
This user study deploys two strategies to support emotional wellbeing using soft robotic surfaces.
1) Passive Interaction: Nature-Inspired behavior performed by the robot
2) Active Interaction: Self-Soothing behavior performed by the user guided by the robot
The study employed a between-subject design with three groups: 1) a Control Group, where participants sat in front of the static surface placed on the tables in front of them; 2) an Ocean Group, where participants watched the surface perform the ocean wave behavior; and 3) a Breathing Group, where participants performed a breathing exercise led by the robotic surface.
Two of our robotic surface panels were used in the study, placed side-by-side on a large white table to form an 18” x 66” soft robot.
Several measures were used to determine the effects of the robot on Attention and Stress
1) Sustained Attention to Response Task: The task measures attention by habituating users to a motor response (pressing a button many times in succession for “Go” targets), and then requiring them to override their impulse to hit the button for the “No-Go” targets.
2) Self-Reported Stress Measure: A scale item to evaluate perceived stress asked participants to rate their current level of stress on a ten-point scale (0 = Not Stressed to 10 = Very Stressed).
3) Perceived Restorativeness Scale: For a subjective measure of restoration, the PRS is a 7-point scale (1=Strongly Disagree, 7=Strongly Agree) with 26 items that ask about descriptions of an environment.
4) Prototype Evaluation: A custom survey including 7-point scale Likert items (1=Strongly Disagree, 7=Strongly Agree) about experiences with the robotic surface on several themes: if the movement was soothing; if the surface was fascinating; experiences of co-embodied breathing; the desired frequency and duration of use; perceptions of the sound produced by the system when inflating; if the surface had a natural sensibility; if the appearance was appealing; and experiences of discomfort.
5) Qualitative Feedback: Participants were asked if they had any comments in an exit interview with a follow up question on the sensory qualities.
EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
RESULTS
1) Sustained Attention to Response Task Measure
Analysis focused on No-Go Trials. Group differences between pre- and post-SART scores were not significantly different.
2) Self-Reported Stress Measure
Pre- and Post-Stress ratings were significantly different between the Breathing and Control Group, and marginally significant between the Ocean Group and the Breathing Group.
3) Perceived Restorativeness Scale
The Ocean Group had the highest mean ratings for 38.46% of the items, followed by the Breathing Group (30.77%) and Control Group (26.92%). Linear regression and ANOVA were used to examine the relationship between groups, but none of the subscales were significantly different.
4) Prototype Evaluation
Observed means showed that generally participants felt the surface was soothing, somewhat appealing and fascinating, and something they would want to interact with frequently. Linear regression and analysis of variance did not find significant differences between groups.
5) Qualitative Feedback
Open-ended thematic analysis performed to identify meaningful themes from the feedback collected during the exit interviews.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Associations to Breathing and Influence on Respiration: Pace, Depth, and Awareness.
Ocean Group Participant: “Made me think of breathing and I tried to match my breath to it.”
Breathing Group Participant: “[L]ooking at the surface made me want to follow the rhythm.”
Breathing Group Participant:“[I] kept my hand on the surface because it helped me to pace my breathing and breathe deeply. At first it was hard to breathe that deeply but touching it while breathing helped.”
Ocean Group Participant: “Ooooh what is this?..... I'm kind of obsessed with this thing...I felt like it going up and down helped me with breathing.”
Sensory Qualities of the Surface: Acclimation to the Sound and Texture and Squishy vs. Sticky.
Ocean Group Participant: “[A] little creepy at first because [it] sounded like Darth Vader, but [I] got used to it.”
Breathing Group Participant: “[It was] rhythmic and reminded me of the sound of ocean waves.”
“Squishy” was used as a positive descriptor, whereas being “sticky” was seen as a negative sensory quality.
Ocean Group Participant: “Why is it so sticky? At first, I was like what the [heck], but then I found it soothing [and] felt de-stressed.”
Ocean Group Participant: “[B]eing able to poke it was relaxing…[it] reminded me of a de-stress tool like a fidget.”
Soft Fascination and Positive Distractions: Capturing Involuntary Attention and Giving People Something to Do.
Ocean Group Participant: “[I] didn't know what it was going to do so it was really surprising at first when you turned it on, but then I found that I was fully in the zone watching it, it was soothing, I was so in the zone that I was startled when you came over to tell me the break was done.”
Breathing Group Participant: “[It was] mesmerizing, and I liked the squishiness. I wasn't sure if it was really relaxing because it was so interesting, I was paying attention to it and not focusing on my breathing as much.”