A nationwide Japanese survey finds that openness and trust, rather than age, determine who is willing to use home-care robots and share personal health data for research.
Highlights:
Japan, home to the world's fastest-aging population, is turning to robots to help fill a massive care gap. By 2040, the nation is projected to face a
shortfall of 570,000 caregivers, a crisis driving innovation in
home-care robotics(1✔).
- Trust and openness predict robot acceptance more than age
- 80% would share data with doctors, but far fewer trust companies
- Users value usefulness; developers prioritize safety and privacy
A new nationwide survey, published in Computers in Human Behavior, explored who in Japan is willing to accept home-care robots, and the results challenge common assumptions.
Inside the Study: What the Survey Found
Researchers surveyed over 1,200 participants, including older adults, family caregivers, nurses, and developers of home-care robots.Surprisingly, age was not the main factor determining openness to robots. Instead, trust and familiarity played the largest roles.
- People who followed robot-related news or had positive attitudes toward technology were far more likely to accept robotic help.
- Younger adults (under 65) showed slightly greater willingness to use robots for themselves and family members.
- Women were more open to using home-care robots for their family's care needs.
Privacy, Safety, and the Trust Gap
When it came to sharing personal data collected by robots, responses revealed a clear trust divide.- About 80% of users said they would share their data with medical professionals for research or monitoring.
- Only 40–50% were willing to share the same data with robot developers or tech companies.
This reflects a growing global theme in AI healthcare: trust is earned not by novelty, but by transparency.
Why Trust and Openness Matter
The researchers found that the strongest predictor of willingness to adopt a robot wasn't age, gender, or experience, but rather openness.“ People who were interested in robot-related news or familiar with robotics were significantly more likely to accept home-care robots,” the study noted.
Japan's pop culture may play a subtle role in this regard. Friendly, human-like robots featured in anime and popular media have helped shape positive emotional attitudes toward robotic companions. This “cultural openness” may partly explain why Japan leads in robotics innovation, yet still faces hesitation among its aging citizens.
Building the Human–Robot Partnership
For home-care robots to succeed, developers must do more than innovate; they must also collaborate. The study calls for a participatory design approach, bringing together older adults, families, caregivers, and companies in co-creating technology that feels safe and intuitive.Researchers also urge policymakers to:
- Strengthen data privacy regulations for home-care technologies.
- Provide education and training to older adults on using assistive robots.
- Promote open communication between users and developers to build long-term trust.
Final Takeaway
Japan's home-care robot revolution isn't just about machines, it's about people. The key to adoption lies not in younger generations or futuristic design, but in building openness and transparency. As one of the researchers summarized: “To make robots truly useful in elder care, we must design for trust — not just technology.”By ensuring that safety, privacy, and empathy are at the heart of innovation, Japan may well serve as a model for how aging societies around the world can confidently embrace AI companions.
Reference:
- Willingness to use home-care robots and views regarding the provision of personal information in Japan: comparison between actual or potential users and robot developers - (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S074756322500264X)
Source-Medindia
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