Purpose: This study focused on the societal changes associated with the entry into an ultra-aged society and the increase in single-person households. The core objective of this research is to investigate how social intelligent robots can bring about positive changes in the lives of individuals in single-person households and how such changes influence user satisfaction and the intention to use these robots.Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional analysis using a structural equation model. A survey designed to assess the impact of social intelligent robots' characteristics, such as perceived encouragement, empathy, presence, appearance, and attachment, on user satisfaction and usage intentions was conducted. Data were collected from a total of 335 users and analyzed using the structural equation model.Results: In the characteristics of social intelligent robots for single-person households, it was found that empathy, presence, and attachment significantly influenced satisfaction, while perceived encouragement, empathy, and attachment significantly influenced usage intentions. The research results indicate differences between enhancing user satisfaction and increasing the intention to use social intelligent robots. The findings suggest the essential need for a user-centric approach in the design and development of social intelligent robots. Additionally, it was observed that emotional support plays a crucial role in users’ experiences with social intelligent robots.Conclusion: This study verified the impact of social intelligent robots on satisfaction and usage intentions based on users' experiences. It examined the influence of linguistic, visual, and personal characteristics of robots on user experiences, providing insights into how technological and human aspects of social intelligent robots interact to shape user satisfaction and usage intentions. Consequently, the study confirmed that social intelligent robots can bring positive changes to human life, emphasizing the necessity for the advancement of robot technology in a human-centric direction.
Jeon et al. (Sun,) studied this question.