Judging a socially assistive robot (SAR) by its cover; The effect of body structure, outline, and color on users' perception Ela Liberman-Pincu1* Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, elapin@post.bgu.ac.il YISRAEL PARMET Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, iparmet@bgu.ac.il TAL ORON-GILAD Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, orontal@bgu.ac.il Human-SAR (socially assistive robot) relationships vary by the context of use and interaction level. We argue that context and interaction considerations must be incorporated into the SAR's physical design requirements to align the robotic visual qualities (VQs) with users' expectations. We propose to consider situational-based and dynamics-based human-SAR relationship models in constructing the requirements. Previous studies contributed to the understanding of users` perceptions and preferences regarding existing commercially available SARs. Yet, very few studies regarding SARs' appearance used designated SAR designs, and even fewer evaluated isolated visual features. In this work, we aim to systematically assess the effect of isolated VQs. To achieve this, we first deconstruct the VQs attributed to SARs. Then, a reconstruction of body structure, outline, and color scheme was done, resulting in the creation of 30 new SAR models that differ in their VQs, allowing us to isolate one character at a time. We used these new designs to evaluate users' preferences and perceptions in two empirical studies. Our empirical findings link visual qualities with perceptions of SAR characteristics. Together with the relationship models, the outcomes are an exemplar of how to form guidelines for the industrial design processes of new SARs to match user expectations. 1 INTRODUCTION The COVID19 crisis affected the lives of many. During lockouts, people chose or were directed to stay home except for essential activities. This new reality pointed towards a growing need for Socially Assistive Robots (SARs) in various contexts, functions, and users, in the para-medical field, or for domestic uses, supporting elderly and disabled people, or helping in a variety of activities with children. Generally, assistive robots are aimed to support people's daily tasks within or outside their home, including cleaning, carrying groceries or personal belongings, physical monitoring, and companionship in a social, acceptable way. Since there may be many functional differences among SAR types, it is expected that user experience will vary with the context of use, functionality, user characteristics, and environmental conditions. However, our market research revealed that SAR manufacturers often designate the same embodiment for diverse contexts (i.e., one design fits all). During a new SAR development process, attention centers primarily on specifications that guarantee proper functionality and compliance with safety regulations. Unfortunately, technical and functional specifications usually do not fully consider user needs nor guarantee SAR acceptance or users' attachment to the SAR. Hence, though researchers have acknowledged the difficulties of integrating user requirements into robotic designs for many years, we argue that now, with the market growth (SAR presence grew by 44% in 2019 and continues to grow due to COVID-19; IFR, 2020) [1], it must be done.