The Future of Home Appliances: A Study on the Robotic Toaster as a Domestic Social Robot

Robotic appliances are continually being adopted into private homes. However, users have yet to exhibit the same acceptance towards domestic social robots. In this paper, we seek to bridge this issue by augmenting already-existing home appliances with capabilities mimicking social robots. We present a robotic toaster designed with animated movements to enhance and personalize the toast-making experience. Not only does the robotic toaster assist in completing the task itself, it also acts as a conscious agent with whom users may interact in a social and playful manner. Using a series of video vignettes, we identify three key themes of the robotic toaster that influence its relationship with users: these are related to (1) context awareness, (2) increased interactivity through initiative action, and (3) expression of personality despite limited degrees of freedom. Lastly, we discuss how the portrayal of home appliances with social characteristics can potentially serve as an introductory step for social robots in the home.