Service robots’ anthropomorphism: dimensions, factors and internal relationships

Robots have been widely used in social production, especially in the service industry. As their use continues to spread, their anthropomorphic design, which increases a robot’s efficiency and effectiveness in terms of human–robot interaction, becomes increasingly important. Based on grounded theory, this study encodes one-to-one in-depth interview data, and constructs a theoretical model of service robots’ anthropomorphism. The results show that service robots’ anthropomorphism comprises four dimensions: mission completion (core), user sensory experience (external manifestation), artificial intelligence (guarantee), and unique human characteristics (promotion). Meanwhile, a linkage between the dimensions and factors is proposed. This study thus systematically elucidates service robots’ anthropomorphism. The findings provide some implications for practitioners to design anthropomorphic robots and develop tools for evaluating anthropomorphism, corresponding factors and potential influences.