Embodied Agent

An interactive system that is represented in physical or graphical form with a body, face, or avatar, allowing it to communicate with users through multiple modalities such as speech, gesture, gaze, and expression. Embodiment matters in accessibility contexts because physically present robots tend to evoke more social engagement than screen-based agents, particularly for users with intellectual disabilities, older adults with dementia, and autistic children. However, embodiment also raises expectations of social competence, so designers must align the agent's physical cues with its actual interaction capabilities.