Exploring AI Robot Mobility in Real Residential Environments for People Living with Frailty: An Observational Study

As policies increasingly promote assistive robots to support aging in place, little is known about whether real, lived-in homes can accommodate meaningful human–robot cohabitation for people living with frailty. This observational study examined how residential built environments shape such feasibility. Eight assisted-living residences in England (seven single-occupancy and one shared by a couple) were 3D scanned and reconstructed as CAD floor plans to simulate the movement of a commercially available humanoid robot (Pepper). Robot movement was fragmented in all residences because frailty-supporting adaptations, door widths, corridor constraints, and room geometry conflicted with robot clearance and sensing requirements. Critically, high-risk rooms were least accessible: no bedroom allowed full bed access (0/11), and bathrooms were inaccessible in 38% of residences, revealing a dual-user housing and robotics design challenge.