Social Acceptance

In assistive technology research, the degree to which bystanders and the broader public accept the presence and use of a device in shared spaces — and the degree to which the user feels comfortable using it in public. Low social acceptance can drive device abandonment even when a technology functions well, because users feel stigmatised or observers feel disrupted. Camera-based assistive systems, guide robots, and wearables have all been studied for social acceptance, with factors including apparent disruptiveness, privacy implications, and aesthetic fit with the environment.