“Is there anybody out there?” Using a telepresence robot to engage in face time at the office

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the impact of mobile robotic telepresence systems on face time – which refers to people “seeing and being seen” – and analyse whether they allow overcoming the challenges associated with telecommuting.Design/methodology/approachThis research is based on a qualitative methodology in two French high-tech companies using interviews to better understand how the use of a telepresence robot is experienced by teleworkers, co-workers and their managers.FindingsThe results demonstrate that telepresence robots do offset the absence of teleworkers by allowing them to engage in face time, even remotely. It shows how the telepresence robot's affordances impact the different dimensions of face time and examine the processes through which teleworkers and co-workers anthropomorphize the robot and manage their privacy needs.Originality/valueThis article further elaborates the concept of face time and offers six dimensions to study in a digitally driven environment, including two newly identified dimensions. It also discusses the surveillance and privacy needs issues raised by the use of mobile robotic telepresence (MRP) systems.

Robotic-assisted virtual care

Heightened isolation during the pandemic has exacerbated the stress, anxiety, and adverse consequences through the loss of family connections older people experience in LTC. Heavy workload and staffing shortage limit staff’s capacity to assist residents in accessing regular virtual visits. Using a Collaborative Action Research (CAR) approach, this project aims to assess the implementation of a telepresence robot, Double 3 to help residents connect with their families. CAR allows careful planning of implementation with stakeholders (patient and family partners, staff, and decision-makers), tailoring adaption to the complex LTC environment. We will program path planning to allow efficient movement between target destinations (residents' rooms) and the charging dock. For example, the robot will go to a resident’s room every morning or evening to help the resident to make a virtual call with family. The project involves three phases (a) Observe and Reflect, (b) Act and Adapt, (c) Evaluate. We work with two Canadian LTC homes in British Columbia to investigate feasibility and acceptability. CAR emphasizes research with, rather than research on people. Meaningful engagement with patient and family partners, frontline staff, and decision-makers at each site throughout the whole project will ensure the project will meet the local needs. Anticipated resident outcomes include improved quality of life, mood, perceived loneliness, perceived social support, and acceptance. Anticipated staff outcomes include perceived ease of use, and acceptability.

Keeping Connected With School: Implementing Telepresence Robots to Improve the Wellbeing of Adolescent Cancer Patients

Background: Adolescent cancer patients experience considerable absence from their education, contributing to poorer academic attainment and isolation from peers, and impacting wellbeing. Telepresence robots have been used to support the educational and social needs of young people with chronic illness. This article presents the results of the development and pilot-testing of a telepresence robot service in schools for adolescent cancer patients – the TRECA (Telepresence Robots to Engage CAncer patients in education) service.Methods: Phase I used semi-structured interviews (n = 25) to assess the views of patients, parents, schools and clinicians on the benefits, acceptability, barriers, and enablers of utilizing robots in schools for adolescent cancer patients. Results from Phase I informed the development of the TRECA service. Phase II used semi-structured interviews (n = 22) to assess the implementation experiences of adolescent cancer patients, and their families, schools, and keyworkers who pilot-tested the TRECA service.Results: Phase I demonstrated the need for telepresence technology in connecting adolescent cancer patients to school. Given the variable support during treatment, a telepresence robot service was considered an acceptable method of facilitating a school-patient connection. The recommendations provided in Phase I, such as the need for provision of ongoing education, training, and support to the patient and school, informed the development of the TRECA service. In Phase II, the themes of The necessity of stakeholder buy-in, A facilitator of meaningful connection, and One size does not fit all were generated. The TRECA service’s flexibility in meeting the needs of its users helped facilitate meaningful connections. Participants reported that these connections provided patients an enhanced sense of agency and wellbeing. The importance of stakeholder buy-in and taking an individualized approach to service delivery were also highlighted. Stakeholder miscommunication and lack of knowledge were key aspects of implementation needing improvement as the service is rolled out on a larger scale.Conclusion: Using telepresence robots to connect adolescents to school during cancer treatment was regarded as highly acceptable, facilitating peer and academic connection. By making stakeholder-recommended improvements to the TRECA service’s existing processes, the service will continue to grow in effectiveness and capacity.

Identifying Key Features of Telepresence Robot Systems in Intensive Care Units: a Scoping Review Protocol

Background: The progress of robotics in the last decades and the current Covid-19 outbreak have contributed to an increasing interest in integrating telepresence robot systems into healthcare. However, it is still needed to better understand how robotic features contribute to medical practice and to the wellness of patients. Hence, we propose a scoping review to spot features of telepresence robot systems that impact the fulfillment of goals in health care for patients in intensive care units. Methods and analysis: Our review will be guided by Arksey and O'Malley’s framework and the revisions by Levac et al., and Peters et al. We will search in 18 scientific databases specialized on either medicine or digital technology, plus another 5 online sources of grey literature. We will consider documents dated between 2000 and 2021, in English and Spanish, and we will perform a quantitative analysis and a thematic synthesis of the papers included in this study.Discussion: This work will help to recognize characteristics, components and capabilities of telepresence robots that are relevant in medical practice, to guide new research and development avenues and boost cooperation between health providers and roboticists. Results will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal and included in promotional activities of our universities. This study does not require ethics review, however, we will be very attentive to feedback from patients, caregivers, health providers and decision makers involved in this scoping review. OSF Registration: DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/S3FHR (Submitted on October 4, 2021)

Telepresence Robots in the Classroom

This study used the concept of shared affordance space to explore students’ perceptions of the use of a telepresence robot in a face-to-face classroom. Results from this qualitative pilot study suggest the telepresence robot has the potential to provide enough autonomy and agency for both the remote user and the in-class students to perceive a shared affordance space. Robot users and classmates use human pronouns to describe the robot user and discuss a process of adjusting to its presence. The physical configuration of the classroom can either facilitate or hinder this process. The research provides greater understanding of the experiences of students in a face-to-face classroom that includes remote students attending class using a telepresence robot. It can help educators design and implement these experiences in a way that creates a beneficial classroom experience for both in-class and remote learners.

Titrating Support: Stakeholder Perspectives on Improving a Mobile Telepresence Robot for Persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (Preprint)

BACKGROUND By 2050, nearly 13 million Americans will have Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) with the majority of those with ADRD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) receiving care in their home. Socially assistive robots (SARs), including mobile telepresence robots, may allow persons with MCI/ADRD to remain living independently at home as well as ease the burden of caregiving. This study’s goal was to identify how to adapt an existing mobile telepresence robot to a SAR through key stakeholder input. OBJECTIVE Specific objectives were to: 1) assess what applications should be integrated into the robot to further support the independence of individuals with MCI/ADRD and 2) understand stakeholders’ overall opinions about the robot. METHODS We conducted in-person interviews with 21 stakeholders: 1) 6 people age > 50 with MCI/ADRD living in the community; 2) 9 family caregivers of people with MCI/ADRD; and 3) 6 clinicians who work with the ADRD population. Interview questions about the robot focused on: 1) technology use; 2) design/functionality; 3) future applications to incorporate; and 4) overall opinions. We conducted a thematic analysis of the data obtained and assessed the patterns within and across stakeholder groups using a matrix analysis technique. RESULTS Overall, a majority of stakeholder across groups felt positively about the robot’s ability to provide support to individuals with MCI/ADRD and decrease caregiver burden. Most ADRD stakeholders felt that the greatest benefits would be getting help in case of emergency and having fewer in-person visits to the doctor’s office. Caregivers and clinicians also noted remote video communication with their family member using the robot as valuable. Adding voice command and one-touch lifesaving/help buttons to the robot were top suggestions offered across stakeholders. The four types of applications that were suggested included: health-related alerts; reminders; smart-home related; and social/entertainment/well-being. Stakeholders across groups liked the robot’s mobility, size, and its interactive connection and communication abilities. However, stakeholders raised concerns about its physical stability and size for those individuals living in smaller, cluttered spaces; screen quality for those with visual impairments; and privacy/data security. CONCLUSIONS Although stakeholders generally expressed positive opinions about the robot, additional adaptions were suggested to strengthen functionality. Adding applications and making improvements to the design may help mitigate concerns and better support individuals with ADRD to remain living independently in the community. As the number of individuals living with ADRD in the U.S. increases, mobile telepresence robots are a promising way to support them and their caregivers. Engaging all three stakeholder groups in the development of these robots is a critical first step to ensure that the technology matches their needs. Integrating the feedback obtained from our stakeholders and evaluating effectiveness will be important next steps in adapting to a SAR.