Table 1 Assistance preferences on domestic tasks from robots in older adults (n = 385)

Personal care

Eating/feeding myself

2.42 ± 0.77

Shaving

2.64 ± 1.08

Bathing

2.64 ± 1.11

Washing/combing hair

2.65 ± 1.02

Brushing teeth

2.76 ± 1.06

Getting dressed

2.77 ± 1.04

Walking

3.36 ± 0.95

Leisure activities

Being entertained

2.24 ± 0.86

Calling family/friends

2.45 ± 0.95

Entertaining guests

2.70 ± 0.97

Learning new skills

2.89 ± 1.00

Learning how to use new technologies

2.98 ± 1.01

Getting information on hobbies/topics of interest

3.30 ± 0.91

Health

Deciding what medication to take

2.11 ± 0.10

Taking medicine

2.81 ± 1.06

Exercising

2.86 ± 1.02

Calling doctors/911 (or 999 in Hong Kong)

3.25 ± 0.88

Being reminded to take medicine

3.54 ± 0.84

Chores

Preparing meals/cooking

2.69 ± 1.05

Setting the table

3.10 ± 0.88

Gardening/pruning

3.22 ± 0.82

Washing dishes by hand

3.23 ± 1.01

Watering plants

3.27 ± 0.83

Grocery shopping

3.27 ± 0.92

Sorting mail, shredding, throwing away junk mail

3.30 ± 0.94

Keeping refrigerator clean/stocked

3.42 ± 0.85

Making bed/changing sheets

3.49 ± 0.84

Maintaining lawn/raking leaves

3.50 ± 0.67

Repairing plumbing

3.51 ± 0.87

Controlling for pests/rodents

3.53 ± 0.83

Painting

3.57 ± 0.77

Loading/unloading dishwasher

3.62 ± 0.67

Taking out trash/recyclables

3.63 ± 0.75

Changing light bulbs

3.65 ± 0.85

Doing laundry

3.67 ± 0.79

Cleaning bathrooms

3.69 ± 0.78

Cleaning kitchen

3.72 ± 0.76

Sweeping/scrubbing/mopping

3.73 ± 0.71

Cleaning windows

3.76 ± 0.68

Information management

Being reminded of daily activities

3.46 ± 0.86

Getting information on weather/news

3.51 ± 0.78

Being reminded of appointments

3.55 ± 0.85

Monitoring home/warning about dangers

3.66 ± 0.87

Manipulating objects

Reaching for objects

3.58 ± 0.74

Opening and closing doors/drawers

3.60 ± 0.67

Finding/delivering items

3.62 ± 0.75

Fetching objects from floor or other room

3.63 ± 0.71

Picking up/moving heavy objects

3.80 ± 0.68