What do people expect from robots?

The study presented in this paper explores people perception of robots, with a particular focus on domestic use. We addressed issues related to positive and negative attitudes toward robots, needs for domestic robots as well as preferences in terms of appearance and interaction modalities. We used a combined qualitative and quantitative approach using interviews and questionnaires. In total, 240 people participated in our survey. Results indicate that a large proportion of participants have a very positive attitude towards robots. They expect concrete help for a variety of tasks from these devices. They prefer a small machine and they would like to interact with robots using speech.