Humanoid robots for assisting people with physical disabilities in activities of daily living: a scoping review

The aim of this scoping review was to gather, summarize, and map the knowledge of peoples' experiences on humanoid robots, capable of assisting people with activities of daily living. The review was guided by the framework of Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR. We found 44 papers describing nine robots that could assist with a variety of tasks listed in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. The mixed population experienced little or no anxiety toward the robots, and most accepted the robots' ability to monitor for safety reasons. Some participants disliked the robots' large size and slow movements. Most of the participants found the robots easy to use. They wanted improvements in the robots' functionality and the ability to personalize services. Several of the participants found the services interesting and useful, but not for themselves. The experiences of humanoid robotic assistance showed an insufficient level of technical readiness for assisting in physical assistance, a lack of personalization and readiness for use in home settings. The practical relevance of these findings lies in guiding future research and development toward a more individualized approach focusing on user needs and experiences to enhance the efficacy and integration of humanoid robots in health-care.

Care-receivers with physical disabilities' perceptions on having humanoid assistive robots as assistants: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

People with physical disabilities due to disease or injury face barriers to their daily activities and participation in society. Many depend on formal or informal caregivers for assistance to live independently. However, future healthcare challenges due to demographic changes threaten access to home care and assistants. Assistive technologies, such as robots for physical assistance, can support the independence and autonomy of people with physical disabilities. This study explore Norwegian care-receivers' perceptions of using robot assistance in their homes, including preferences for tasks acceptable or unacceptable for robot assistance and the underlying reasons.

METHOD

Purposive sampling was employed to recruit 18 participants, aged between 18 and 77 years, with differences in physical function including diagnoses such as stroke, spinal cord injury, amputations, and muscular dystrophy. Qualitative data were gathered through four focus group interviews wherein participants watched videos featuring a humanoid assistive robot, EVEr3. The collected data underwent analysis using reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Three themes with associated sub-themes were constructed: (a) How a robot could assist in daily life, (b) The robot's appearance and functionality, and (c) Concerns about having a robot as an assistant. The participants welcomed the idea of a future robotic assistant in areas that may contribute to an increased feeling of independence and autonomy.

CONCLUSION

A robot assisting in activities of daily living would need to be individually customized to meet the needs of each user in terms of which tasks to assist with, how to assist in these defined tasks, and how it is controlled.

Patient ergonomics: 10-year mapping review of patient-centered human factors

Patient ergonomics is the application of human factors or related disciplines to study and improve patients' and other non-professionals' performance of effortful work activities in pursuit of health goals. We performed a mapping review of 212 full-text patient ergonomics publications in two conference proceedings, 2007-2017. The review revealed a robust and growing body of literature on patient ergonomics, particularly in the areas of aging and chronic disease, tools and technologies, and evaluations of patient-centered interventions on outcomes such as usability, user acceptance, and performance. Findings highlighted gaps deserving future research, including research with understudied populations such as children, informal caregivers, networks and collectives (groups), and marginalized populations; on topics such as health promotion and transitions of care; and using longitudinal and experimental study designs. The growth of patient-centeredness in general and of patient ergonomics in particular compel other more focused reviews, new primary research, and developing a roadmap for future patient ergonomics research.