All it Takes is a Slight Rotation: Robotic Bar-stools Enhance Intimacy in Couples' Conflict

Couples' ability to manage conflicts is fundamental in the discourse of romantic relationships. A supportive environment for conflict management highly depends on non-verbal communication cues. We explored the possibility to facilitate positive non-verbal cues by using autonomous furniture that do not alter the dyadic nature of the interaction. Couples discussed a subject of disagreement while seated on autonomous bar-stools. During the discussion, the stools rotated inward, directing partners toward one another. In the baseline condition, the bar-stools were inactive. Our findings showed that the inward rotation facilitated couples' non-verbal cues (e.g., eye-gaze, body-orientation), which highly contributed to their communication and decreased conflict intensity. The positive effect was also evident in the number of intimate touch occurrences. The bar-stools' movement led to a significant increase in hand-holding, kisses, and hugs. This work highlights the great potential of leveraging autonomous furniture for enhancing romantic interactions while preserving their intimate and emotional nature.