  Socially assistive robots (SARs) aim to provide assistance through social
interaction. Previous studies contributed to understanding 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 qualities (VQ). In this work, we aim to assess the
effect of isolated VQs systematically. To achieve this, we first conducted
market research and deconstructed 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 VQs with perceptions of SAR characteristics. These can lead to forming
guidelines for the industrial design processes of new SARs to match user
expectations.
