Concept of an Autonomous Robot for Medical Services, Rehabilitation and Music Therapy for Pandemics

Abstract

This chapter analyses the complex challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic: epidemiological, clinical and psychological. In current difficult circumstances, it is necessary to understand the entire chain of problems and find logically structured medic-technical response aimed at reducing the risks of nosocomial spread of infection, unloading medical staff, providing psychological and service assistance to patients with COVID-19 who are undergoing rehabilitation treatment. From this perspective, an overview of modern medical robots is carried out and presented concept model of the multifunctional autonomous robot ‘Helper’ for medical services, rehabilitation and music therapy. Why music therapy? The language of music is universal, and the achievements of scientific music therapy (SMT) are so significant that they allow improving mood and optimising the function of vital systems, even online, which is very actual for patients with COVID-19. This was the reason to present the basics and technologies of SMT. In general, the presented robot has seven functions that are critical in a pandemic: movement along specified routes; disinfection of premises and self-disinfection; biometric identification; drug delivery; telemedicine; interpersonal communication; interactive music and virtual psychotherapy. There conclusive ideas of the chapter are: the use of music and other types of art in the functionality of robots brings them closer to humans; integration of science, technology and art is the future of artificial intelligence; multifunctional autonomous medical robotics will play an increasingly significant role in the process of modern rehabilitation treatment and hospital services in pandemic.