Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable

Effects of Virtual Assistant Features on User Experience in Service Settings

Spain400 participantsStarted 2026-09

Plain-language summary

This study examines how the characteristics and performance of virtual assistants influence user experience in service settings. Approximately 400 adults will interact with virtual assistants presented as avatars, chatbots, or voice assistants in simulated tourism, cultural, retail, or financial service situations. Participants will be exposed to one or more experimental conditions that may differ in features such as communication style, language specificity, anthropomorphism, personalization, type of virtual assistant, level of immersion, or the presence of inaccurate responses or errors. After the interaction, participants will complete questionnaires about their perceptions, emotions, trust, satisfaction, acceptance of recommendations, and intention to use the virtual assistant. During the experimental session, non-invasive methods may be used to measure visual attention and psychophysiological responses. These methods include eye tracking, electrodermal activity, electroencephalography, and automated facial expression analysis. Facial recordings will be used to analyze emotional expressions and will not be used to identify participants. The study does not involve drugs, biological products, medical treatments, diagnostic procedures, or investigational medical devices. Its purpose is to improve scientific understanding of human interaction with artificial intelligence and virtual assistants in service environments.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18 years or older. * Able to understand the study information and provide informed consent. * Sufficient proficiency in Spanish to understand the instructions and complete the study questionnaires. * Able to interact with a computer-based virtual assistant and complete the experimental session. * Willing to complete the study procedures, which may include questionnaires, eye tracking, electrodermal activity recording, electroencephalography, and facial expression recording. Exclusion Criteria: * Younger than 18 years. * Unable to understand the study information or provide valid informed consent. * Insufficient proficiency in Spanish to understand the instructions or complete the questionnaires. * A visual, hearing, motor, or other condition that prevents completion of the specific experimental task and cannot be accommodated by the study procedures. * A temporary health condition, discomfort, or technical incompatibility that, according to the study procedures, prevents safe or reliable completion of the experimental session. * Previous participation in the same experimental protocol, when prior exposure could influence the study outcomes.

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Trust in the Virtual Assistant

Timeframe: Immediately after the virtual assistant interaction, during the same experimental session

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07666295

SponsorUniversity of Malaga

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2028-01

Contact for this trial

Sebastián Molinillo Jiménez - Professor of Marketing, PhD

+34 952131265 smolinillo@uma.es

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More User Experience With Virtual Assistants in Service Settings trials