Abstract
BackgroundSocial robots that can communicate and interact with people offer exciting opportunities for improved health care access and outcomes. However, evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on health or well-being outcomes has not yet been clearly synthesized across all health domains where social robots have been tested.ObjectiveThis study aimed to undertake a systematic review examining current evidence from RCTs on the effects of psychosocial interventions by social robots on health or well-being.MethodsMedline, PsycInfo, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Engineering Village searches across all years in the English language were conducted and supplemented by forward and backward searches. The included papers reported RCTs that assessed changes in health or well-being from interactions with a social robot across at least 2 measurement occasions.ResultsOut of 408 extracted records, 27 trials met the inclusion criteria: 6 in child health or well-being, 9 in children with autism spectrum disorder, and 12 with older adults. No trials on adolescents, young adults, or other problem areas were identified, and no studies had interventions where robots spontaneously modified verbal responses based on speech by participants. Most trials were small (total N=5 to 415; median=34), only 6 (22%) reported any follow-up outcomes (2 to 12 weeks; median=3.5) and a single-blind assessment was reported in 8 (31%). More recent trials tended to have greater methodological quality. All papers reported some positive outcomes from robotic interventions, although most trials had some measures that showed no difference or favored alternate treatments.ConclusionsControlled research on social robots is at an early stage, as is the current range of their applications to health care. Research on social robot interventions in clinical and health settings needs to transition from exploratory investigations to include large-scale controlled trials with sophisticated methodology, to increase confidence in their efficacy.
Highlights
BackgroundIn recent years, we have seen exciting developments in the application of robotics to medical treatments
Controlled research on social robots is at an early stage, as is the current range of their applications to health care
Mild cognitive impairment predicted greater visual engagement with the robot and more pleasure at week 10. These results suggest that positive effects from PARO may predominantly occur in less severely affected participants
Summary
BackgroundIn recent years, we have seen exciting developments in the application of robotics to medical treatments. Surgical and rehabilitative robotics offer distinct advances in their exceptional ability to augment treatment practices to enhance patient outcomes but are restricted to a highly specific field of medical assistance. This leaves other health care services untouched by the potential benefits that robotics may offer for health care professionals and their patients, including psychosocial interventions for health or well-being. Self-guided programs achieve these effects without a therapeutic relationship, we argue that they potentially satisfy other elements of a therapeutic alliance such as perceived safety and consistency with personal goals and avoid many negative effects of face-to-face therapy, such as perceived judgment or stigma. Social robots that can communicate and interact with people offer exciting opportunities for improved health care access and outcomes. Evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on health or well-being outcomes has not yet been clearly synthesized across all health domains where social robots have been tested
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
