Do Students Dream of Electric Cats (or Dogs)?: Using Robotics for a Unique Exam Week Activity in the Library

Authors

Jonathan Scherger, Western Michigan UniversityFollow
Juliana Espinosa, Western Michigan UniversityFollow
Autumn P. Edwards, Western Michigan UniversityFollow
Chad Edwards, Western Michigan UniversityFollow
Bryan Abendschein, Western Michigan UniversityFollow
Patricia Fravel Vander Meer, Western Michigan UniversityFollow

Document Type

Contribution to a book

Version

publisher_pdf

Publication Date

2022

Abstract

During two nights at the library, students were invited to interact with one of nine robotic animals. Five of the robots look and react like cats, four look and react like dogs. The robots mimic the motions and sounds of live animals, including purring and barking. Students took a stress pre-test prior to interacting with the robots and a stress post-test at the conclusion of their interaction. Faculty from the School of Communication and the University Libraries were on hand to observe the interaction and gather feedback. The aim of this chapter is to demonstrate how a partnership with a campus robotics lab provided mutual benefits for the researchers, librarians, and students involved in the study.

Comments

Information on the availability of the book.

WMU ScholarWorks Citation

Scherger, Jonathan; Espinosa, Juliana; Edwards, Autumn P.; Edwards, Chad; Abendschein, Bryan; and Vander Meer, Patricia Fravel, "Do Students Dream of Electric Cats (or Dogs)?: Using Robotics for a Unique Exam Week Activity in the Library" (2022). University Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications. 55.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/library_pubs/55