Social robots to support children’s well-being under medical treatment: A systematic state-of-the-art review

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 596-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara J Moerman ◽  
Loek van der Heide ◽  
Marcel Heerink
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Psychiatric Ward ◽  
Medical Procedure ◽  
Hand Search ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Socially Assistive Robots ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Stressful Experience

Hospitalization is a stressful experience for children. Socially assistive robots (SARs), designed to interact with humans, might be a means to mitigate a child’s stress and support its well-being. A systematic state-of-the-art review was performed to inventorize the use of SARs in hospital to support children’s well-being and what the effects are. We searched five databases (Cinahl, Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, IEEE), combining terms for ‘distress’, ‘relaxation’ and ‘well-being’ with terms for social robot and child, and did an additional hand search. Ten publications (on eight studies) out of 563 unique titles were considered relevant. Six different robots were used (one humanoid, five pet-like) for distraction during medical procedure, emotional support for dealing with a disease or support of well-being during hospital stay. Positive effects on the children were noted, such as experiencing distraction and engagement, and less stress or pain, more relaxation, smiling and openness or better communication. On a psychiatric ward some youngsters felt unsafe with the robot. The outcomes suggest that SARs may have a potentially positive influence on a child’s well-being. Further research is needed to determine the effect of using SARs and how to integrate the use in the working routines of health personnel.

A pilot Project Exploring the Utility and Acceptability of a Socially-assistive Robot in an Assessment Unit for People with Neuropsychiatric Symptoms

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S104-S104
Author(s):  
S. Loi ◽  
R. Khosla ◽  
K. Nguyen ◽  
N. Lautenschlager ◽  
D. Velakoulis
Keyword(s):  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Socially Assistive Robots ◽  
Assistive Robot ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Socially Assistive Robot

ObjectivesSocially-assistive robots have been used with older adults with cognitive impairment in residential care, and found to improve mood and well-being. However, there is little known about the potential benefits in adults with other neuropsychiatric symptoms.AimsThe aim of this project was explore the utility and acceptability of a socially-assistive robot in engaging adults with a variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms.MethodsBetty, a socially-assistive robot was installed in a unit which specialises in the assessment and diagnosis of adults presenting with neuropsychiatric symptoms. She is 39 cm tall, has a baby-face appearance and has the ability to engage individuals through personalised services which can be programmed according to individuals’ preferences. These include singing songs and playing games. Training for the nursing staff who were responsible for incorporating Betty into the unit activities was provided. The frequency, duration and type of activity which Betty was involved in was recorded. Patients admitted who could provide informed consent were able to be included in the project. These participants completed pre- and post-questionnaires.ResultsEight patients (mean age 54.4 years, SD 13.6) who had diagnoses ranging from depression and schizophrenia participated. Types of activities included singing songs, playing Bingo and reading the news. Participants reported that they were comfortable with Betty and did not feel concerned in her presence. They enjoyed interacting with her.ConclusionsThis pilot project demonstrated that participants found Betty to be acceptable and she was useful in engaging them in activities. Future directions would involve larger sample sizes and different settings.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Designing Socially Assistive Robots for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Patients and Their Caregivers: Where We Are and Where We Are Headed

Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Koutentakis ◽  
Alexander Pilozzi ◽  
Xudong Huang
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Socially Assistive Robots ◽  
Medical Needs ◽  
Dementia Patients ◽  
Senior Patients

Over the past few years there has been a large rise in the field of robotics. Robots are being in used in many industries, but there has not been a large surge of robots in the medical field, especially the robots for healthcare use. However, as the aging population keeps growing, current medical staff and healthcare providers are increasingly burdened by caring for the ever-growing number of senior patients, especially those with cognitive impairment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia (ADRD) patients. As a result, we can expect to see a large increase in the field of medical robotics, especially in forms of socially assistive robots (SARs) for senior patients and healthcare providers. In fact, SARs can alleviate AD and ADRD patients and their caregivers’ unmet medical needs. Herein, we propose a design outline for such a SAR, based on a review of the current literature. We believe the next generation of SARs will enhance health and well-being, reduce illness and disability, and improve quality of life for AD and ADRD patients and their caregivers.

scholarly journals Robot Art, in the Eye of the Beholder?: Personalized Metaphors Facilitate Communication of Emotions and Creativity

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Cooney
Keyword(s):  
User Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Abstract Art ◽  
Art Making ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Socially Assistive Robots ◽  
Visual Metaphors ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Promising Area ◽  
Current Article

Socially assistive robots are being designed to support people’s well-being in contexts such as art therapy where human therapists are scarce, by making art together with people in an appropriate way. A challenge is that various complex and idiosyncratic concepts relating to art, like emotions and creativity, are not yet well understood. Guided by the principles of speculative design, the current article describes the use of a collaborative prototyping approach involving artists and engineers to explore this design space, especially in regard to general and personalized art-making strategies. This led to identifying a goal: to generate representational or abstract art that connects emotionally with people’s art and shows creativity. For this, an approach involving personalized “visual metaphors” was proposed, which balances the degree to which a robot’s art is influenced by interacting persons. The results of a small user study via a survey provided further insight into people’s perceptions: the general design was perceived as intended and appealed; as well, personalization via representational symbols appeared to lead to easier and clearer communication of emotions than via abstract symbols. In closing, the article describes a simplified demo, and discusses future challenges. Thus, the contribution of the current work lies in suggesting how a robot can seek to interact with people in an emotional and creative way through personalized art; thereby, the aim is to stimulate ideation in this promising area and facilitate acceptance of such robots in everyday human environments.

Understanding the benefits of horticultural therapy on paediatric patient's well-being during hospitalisation

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Guglielmetti Mugion ◽  
Elisa Menicucci
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Horticultural Therapy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Successful Group ◽  
Therapy Programme

PurposeThe aim of this study is to undertake a systemic literature review (SLR) of horticultural therapy and to explore whether its inclusion in a healthcare programme can enhance hospitalised children's well-being.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical study was developed using a mixed methods approach to monitor stakeholders' perceptions of horticultural therapy. Specifically, hospitalised children (N = 31) and their families (N = 21), as well as medical and nursing staff (N = 3), were engaged in the empirical study. Qualitative and quantitative surveys were developed, involving two paediatric units in an Italian hospital.FindingsThe authors’ findings show a significant improvement of children's mood and psycho-physical well-being following horticultural therapy. The authors found positive effects of interactive horticultural therapy on hospitalised paediatric patients and their parents. Parents perceived a positive influence on their mood and found the therapy very beneficial for their children. Qualitative analyses of children's and parents' comments (and related rankings) revealed the helpful support role of horticultural therapy in dealing with the hospitalisation period. There is a very limited number of studies that have inspected co-therapy implementation in paediatric hospitals, and to the best of the authors' knowledge, no study has yet examined the effect of horticultural therapy in such a context. The practice of horticultural therapy with children in health settings has been documented in some Italian hospitals, but its effectiveness has not yet been well established in the literature.Originality/valueThe authors’ findings could provide useful insights to clinicians, health managers and directors in creating and sustaining a successful group co-therapy programme under the managed healthcare system.

The Role of Household Wealth in Combining Child School and Child Labor: Evidence from MICS Balochistan (Pakistan)

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-199
Author(s):  
Tabish Nawab ◽  
Beyza Nur Aktaş ◽  
Tusawar Iftikhar Ahmad ◽  
Ruqayya Ibraheem
Keyword(s):  
Child Labor ◽  
Wealth Index ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Wealth Status ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Impact

The issue of combining school & work has taken considerable focus in the past years from policymakers, advocates and researchers. In the literature, the role of household wealth, combining school & work is still an unresolved issue. The researchers have contradicting views about the impact of household wealth on combining child school & work. Child labor and low schooling attendance are found pervasive issues worldwide, particularly in developing countries. This study aims to explore the impact of household wealth on combining child school & work, particularly focusing on the wealth index of the household. For this purpose, microdata having 18471 observations from Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Balochistan (2010) has been utilized. The binary logistic model has been applied for the children (5-15 years) activity whether they are combining school & work or not. The main finding of this paper is the wealth status of households which has a statistically significant and positive influence on combining child school & work. Both mother and father's education is positively associated with combining school & work. In addition, mother and father being alive played a vital role in their children’s combined activities of schooling & work rather than doing nothing because the expectations of child schooling are high in parent's lives. Furthermore, gender, age of the child, and area of residence are positive effects combining school & work. The children from urban zones are more likely to be involved in combining school & work. The policy of this paper suggests that education is the key to break child labor in society by providing education facilities for both girls and boys equally. In addition to policy recommendations, there should be crucial steps to provide a better economic environment for the well-being of the masses to enhance their economic condition especially in rural and deprived areas of Balochistan, and the applicability of child labor laws needs to be focused on.Keywords:

scholarly journals Socially Assistive Robots Helping Older Adults through the Pandemic and Life after COVID-19

Robotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 106
Author(s):  
Cristina Getson ◽  
Goldie Nejat
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
User Experience ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Socially Assistive Robots ◽  
The World ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Health And Well Being

The COVID-19 pandemic has critically impacted the health and safety of the population of the world, especially the health and well-being of older adults. Socially assistive robots (SARs) have been used to help to mitigate the effects of the pandemic including loneliness and isolation, and to alleviate the workload of both formal and informal caregivers. This paper presents the first extensive survey and discussion on just how socially assistive robots have specifically helped this population, as well as the overall impact on health and the acceptance of such robots during the pandemic. The goal of this review is to answer research questions with respect to which SARs were used during the pandemic and what specific tasks they were used for, and what the enablers and barriers were to the implementation of SARs during the pandemic. We will also discuss lessons learned from their use to inform future SAR design and applications, and increase their usefulness and adoption in a post-pandemic world. More research is still needed to investigate and appreciate the user experience of older adults with SARs during the pandemic, and we aim to provide a roadmap for researchers and stakeholders.

A Socially Assistive Robot to Help With Getting Dressed

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo Woiceshyn ◽  
Yuchi Wang ◽  
Goldie Nejat ◽  
Beno Benhabib
Keyword(s):  
Impression Formation ◽  
Recommendation System ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Socially Assistive Robots ◽  
Assistive Robot ◽  
Socially Assistive Robot ◽  
Clothing Choices

Getting dressed is a universally performed daily activity, and has a substantial impact on a person’s well-being. Choosing appropriate outfits to wear is important, as clothes protect a person from elements in the environment, and act as a barrier against harsh surfaces [1]. Studies have shown strong correlation between clothing choices and perceptions of sociability, emotional stability, and impression formation (e.g., [2]). This activity, however, can be difficult for some individuals, as they may lack the required reasoning and judgement required [3]. They include children with intellectual and learning disabilities [4] (e.g., Down syndrome [5], dyspraxia [6], autism spectrum disorder [7]), and older adults suffering from dementia including Alzheimer’s disease [8,9], or HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders [10]. In this paper, we present the development of a novel autonomous robotic clothing recommendation system to provide appropriate clothing options, which are personalized to a user’s wardrobe. This research expands on our previous work on socially assistive robots providing assistance with other daily activities, including meal eating [11] and playing Bingo games [12]. Currently, a few smartphone applications exist for providing outfit choices (e.g., [13,14]); however, unlike our proposed system, they are fashion-focused and not able to adapt online to a user’s preferences. Furthermore, by utilizing a socially assistive robot, we provide a more engaging interaction. We utilize the small Nao social robot, Leia, to guide and interact with a user in order to obtain information regarding his/her preferences, the activity for which the clothing will be worn, as well as the environment in which the activity will take place in order to make outfit recommendations, Fig. 1.

Hormonal contraception as a method of social adaptation of women in modern society

GYNECOLOGY ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 17-21
Author(s):  
Tatyana Yu Pestrikova ◽  
Elena A Yurasova ◽  
Igor V Yurasov ◽  
Tamara D Kovaleva
Keyword(s):  
Ethinyl Estradiol ◽  
Hormonal Contraception ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Adaptation ◽  
Female Employment ◽  
Hormonal Contraceptives ◽  
Aim Analysis ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Chlormadinone Acetate

Relevance. Currently, women make up more than 40% of the global workforce and more than half of students studying at universities around the world. Women's education, especially at a high level, tends to increase female employment. The mismatch of the style and rhythm of modern life with a genetically determined and working millennium reproductive program requires the choice of a specific approach to social adaptation. Aim. Analysis of literary sources on the use of hormonal contraception as a method of social adaptation. Materials and methods. To write this review, domestic and foreign publications were searched in Russian and international search systems (PubMed, eLibrary, etc.) for the last 2-10 years. The review included articles from peer-reviewed literature. Results. The review describes the features of modern hormonal contraceptives. Their non-contraceptive effects are presented. The individual non-contraceptive effects of a combined oral contraceptive containing 30 mg of ethinyl estradiol and 2 mg of chlormadinone acetate were determined. It has been established that the use of this contraceptive helps to improve the well-being and mood of patients, which allows you to actively use this contraceptive in routine clinical practice with premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhea, without the use of analgesics. Conclusions. The numerous positive effects of ethinyl estradiol and chlormadinone acetate allow the use of the drug as a means to increase social adaptation, and, consequently, improve the quality of life.

scholarly journals Transition from Emotional to Rational Advertising for Food Products on the Romanian Market

2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-108
Author(s):  
A.F. Jităreanu ◽  
Elena Leonte ◽  
A. Chiran ◽  
Benedicta Drobotă
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Body ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
New Methods ◽  
Brand Advertising ◽  
Tangible Evidence ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Advertising helps to establish a set of assumptions that the consumer will bring to all other aspects of their engagement with a given brand. Advertising provides tangible evidence of the financial credibility and competitive presence of an organization. Persuasion is becoming more important in advertising. In marketing, persuasive advertising acts to establish wants/motivations and beliefs/attitudes by helping to formulate a conception of the brand as being one which people like those in the target audience would or should prefer. Considering the changes in lifestyle and eating habits of a significant part of the population in urban areas in Romania, the paper aims to analyse how brands manage to differentiate themselves from competitors, to reposition themselves on the market and influence consumers, meeting their increasingly varied needs. Food brands on the Romanian market are trying, lately, to identify new methods of differentiation and new benefits for their buyers. Given that more and more consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about what they eat and the products’ health effects, brands struggle to highlight the fact that their products offer real benefits for the body. The advertisements have become more diversified and underline the positive effects, from the health and well - being point of view, that those foods offer (no additives and preservatives, use of natural ingredients, various vitamins and minerals or the fact that they are dietary). Advertising messages’ diversification is obvious on the Romanian market, in the context of an increasing concern of the population for the growing level of information of some major consumer segments.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Nutritional Education for Obese Older Adults With Frailty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 401-401
Author(s):  
Yue-Heng Yin ◽  
Liu Yat Justina
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Physical Function ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Nutritional Education ◽  
Hand Search ◽  
Education Interventions

Abstract Obesity has been shown to intensify the decline of physical function and lead to frailty. Nutrition is an important method in managing obesity and frailty, while seldom reviews have ever explored the effects of nutritional education interventions. We conducted a systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42019142403) to explore the effectiveness of nutritional education interventions in managing body composition and physio-psychosocial parameters related to frailty. Randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies were searched in CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus from 2001 to 2019. Hand search for the reference lists of included papers was conducted as well. We assessed the quality of included studies by Cochrane risk of bias tool. Meta-analyses and narrative synthesis were used to analyse the data. Two studies with low risk of bias were screened from 180 articles, which involved 177 older people with an average age of 69.69±4.08 years old. The results showed that nutritional education was significantly effective in reducing body weight and fat mass than exercises, and it was beneficial to enhancing physical function and psychosocial well-being. But the effects of nutritional education in increasing muscle strength were not better than exercises. The combined effects of nutritional education and exercises were superior than either exercises or nutritional education interventions solely in preventing the loss of lean mass and bone marrow density, and in improving physical function. Due to limited numbers of relevant studies, the strong evidence of effectiveness of nutritional education interventions on reversing frailty is still lacking.

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