This project explores how humans express empathy toward socially interactive robots in emotionally charged situations. Using the Vector robot, we designed a scenario in which the robot appeared to need help — for example, struggling or failing in a task — and observed how participants responded both emotionally and behaviorally.
The study aimed to understand whether and how people perceive robots as social agents deserving of emotional concern. We analyzed behaviors such as verbal comfort, physical intervention, and facial expressions. Many participants responded empathetically, demonstrating behaviors often reserved for human interaction.