The Unboxing Experience: Exploration and Design of Initial Interactions Between Children and Social Robots

TL;DR

This research investigates how the initial unboxing experience of social robots influences children's perceptions and interactions, emphasizing the importance of aesthetic and social engagement to foster positive relationships.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel design approach for social robot unboxing experiences, supported by three field studies with children to enhance initial interactions.

Findings

Creative aesthetic design improves engagement

Socially engaging unboxing fosters positive relationships

Initial impressions are crucial for long-term adoption

Abstract

Social robots are increasingly introduced into children's lives as educational and social companions, yet little is known about how these products might best be introduced to their environments. The emergence of the "unboxing" phenomenon in media suggests that introduction is key to technology adoption where initial impressions are made. To better understand this phenomenon toward designing a positive unboxing experience in the context of social robots for children, we conducted three field studies with families of children aged 8 to 13: (1) an exploratory free-play activity ($n=12$); (2) a co-design session ($n=11$) that informed the development of a prototype box and a curated unboxing experience; and (3) a user study ($n=9$) that evaluated children's experiences. Our findings suggest the unboxing experience of social robots can be improved through the design of a creative aesthetic experience that engages the child socially to guide initial interactions and foster a positive child-robot relationship.