Social Robots in Hospitals: A Systematic Review

Hospital environments are facing new challenges this century. One of the most important is the quality of services to patients. Social robots are gaining prominence due to the advantages they offer; in particular, several of their main uses have proven beneficial during the pandemic. This study aims to shed light on the current status of the design of social robots and their interaction with patients. To this end, a systematic review was conducted using WoS and MEDLINE, and the results were exhaustive analyzed. The authors found that most of the initiatives and projects serve the el- derly and children, and specifically, that they helped these groups fight diseases such as dementia, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), cancer, and diabetes

A Review on Current and Potential Applications of Robotics In Mental Health Care

Robotics technology is most commonly associated with robots, that are physically embodied systems capable of causing physical change in the world. Robots execute this transformation via effectors that either move the robot itself (locomotion) or move items in the environment (manipulation), and they frequently make judgments based on data from sensors. Robot autonomy can range from totally teleoperated to fully autonomous (the robot is entirely independent). The word robotics technology also encompasses related technologies, such as sensor systems, data processing algorithms, and so forth.  While in recent years this has evolved outward, with an emphasis on difficulties connected to dealing with actual people in the real world. This transition has been referred to as human-centered robotics in the literature, and a developing topic in the last decade focused on difficulties in this arena is known as human robot interaction (HRI). The application of robotics technology in mental health treatment is still in its early stages, but it offers a potentially beneficial tool in the professional's arsenal

Robots in education and care of children with developmental disabilities : a study on acceptance by experienced and future professionals

Research in the area of robotics has made available numerous possibilities for further innovation in the education of children, especially in the rehabilitation of those with learning difficulties and/or intellectual disabilities. Despite the scientific evidence, there is still a strong scepticism against the use of robots in the fields of education and care of people. Here we present a study on the acceptance of robots by experienced practitioners (specialized in the treatment of intellectual disabilities) and university students in psychology and education sciences (as future professionals). The aim is to examine the factors, through the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, that may influence the decision to use a robot as an instrument in the practice. The overall results confirm the applicability of the model in the context of education and care of children, and suggest a positive attitude towards the use of the robot. The comparison highlights some scepticism among the practitioners, who perceive the robot as an expensive and limited tool, while students show a positive perception and a significantly higher willingness to use the robot. From this experience, we formulate the hypothesis that robots may be accepted if more integrated with standard rehabilitation protocols in a way that benefits can outweigh the costs