User:Margaux Blanchard/Social robot

Uses in Healthcare
Social robots have been used increasingly in healthcare settings and recent research has been exploring the applicability of social robots as mental health interventions for children. A scoping review analyzed the impacts that robots such as Nao, Paro, Huggable, Tega and Pleo have on children in various intervention settings. Results from this work highlighted that depression and anger may be reduced in children working with social robots, however anxiety and pain yielded mixed results. Distress was found to be reduced in children who interacted with robots. Finally, this scoping review found that affect was positively impacted by interaction with robots--such that children smiled for longer and demonstrated growth-mindsets when playing games. It's worth noting that robots have increased benefits in that they can be used instead of animal-assisted therapy for children who are allergic or immunocompromised. Sanitation is a necessary issue to consider, however with washable covers or sanitizable surfaces, this becomes less of a problem in medical settings. Another review analyzed data from previous studies and found further support that social robots may reduce negative symptoms children experience in healthcare settings. Social robots can be used as tools for distracting children from procedures, like getting a shot, and have demonstrated the ability to reduce stress and pain experience. Children who interacted with both a psychotherapist and robot assistant for therapy experienced reduced anger, anxiety, and depression when coping with cancer compared to a control group. There is some evidence that supports that free-play with a robot while hospitalized can help children experience more positive moods. More work needs to be done to analyze the impact of social robots and children in psychiatric wards, as evidence revealed that some children may dislike the robot and feel it is dangerous. Overall, further research should be conducted to fully understand the impact of social robots on reducing negative mental health symptoms in children, but there appears to be advantages of utilizing social robots in healthcare settings.

Social robots have been shown to have beneficial outcomes for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). As many individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder tend to prefer predictable interactions, robots may be a viable option for social interactions. Previous research on the interactions between children with ASD and robots has demonstrated positive benefits, for instance shared attention, increased eye contact, and interpersonal synchrony. Various types of robots have the potential to reap these benefits for children with ASD--from humanoid robots like KASPAR, to cartoonish robots such as Tito, to animal-like robots like Probo, to machine-like robots such as Nao. One problem that may hinder the advantages of social robots as social interaction tools for children with ASD is the Uncanny Valley, as the eerily human-likeness of the robots may be overstimulating and anxiety-inducing, as one study found with Keepon. It appears that social robots provide an opportunity to increase social skills in children with ASD, and future research should investigate this topic further.

Individuals with cognitive impairments, such as Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease, may also benefit from social robots. In their study, Moro et al. (2018) utilized 3 social robots types--a human-like robot, Casper; a character-like Robot, The Ed robot; and a tablet--to help six individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment make a cup of tea. Results demonstrated that, to an extent, the humanoid robot was most engaging to individuals with cognitive impairments, likely due to the expressiveness of its face compared to the minimal expression of Ed and the tablet. Participants also anthropomorphized the human-like and character-like robot more so than the tablet by addressing them and asking questions, further indicating a preference for the social robots. Additionally, participants perceived the human-like robot to be useful in both social situations and in completing activities of daily living, whereas the character-like robot and tablet were seen as only useful for activities of daily living. Another study by Moyle et al. (2019) investigated the impact that providing an individual with dementia a robot toy, Paro, versus a plush-toy would have on caregiver and family members' perception of the individuals' well-being. This study highlighted the ways in which some long-term care facilities may have minimal stimulation for dementia patients, which can lead to boredom and increased agitation. After completing the trial, caregivers and family members were asked to assess the individual with dementias' well-being and, overall, the group that interacted with Paro was perceived to be happier, more engaged, and less agitated. One of the main issues with utilizing Paro, despite it's perceived benefits, is the cost--future research must investigate more cost effective options for older adult care. Another issue of conducting research between individuals with cognitive impairments and social robots is their ability to consent. In some cases, informed consent by proxy can be utilized, however the benefits and risks should be weighed before conducting any research.

The ethics of social robots' use in healthcare should also be mentioned. One potential risk of social robots is deception--there may be an expectation that the robot can perform certain functions when it actually cannot. For example, with increased human-likeness and anthropomorphic traits, humans interacting with robots might assume the robot to have feelings and thoughts, which is misleading. Isolating older adults from humans is also a risk of social robots in that these robots may make up a significant amount of the individual's social interaction. Currently there is little evidence about the long-term impacts this limited human contact and increased robot interaction may have. Some social robots also have a built in telepresence capacity that can be utilized such that individuals can videoconference with family, caregivers, and medical staff, which may decrease loneliness and isolation. The video capability of some robots is a potential avenue for social interaction and increasing accessibility of medical assessments. Dignity for persons interacting with robots should also be respected--individuals might find some robots, like the cuddly toy-like Paro, to be infantilizing, and future investigations should explore how to best increase autonomy of patients interacting with robots. Furthermore, privacy is another ethical concern in that some social robots can collect and store video data or data from sensors. The stored data is at risk to be stolen or hacked into, which negatively impacts individual privacy. Safety of individuals interacting with robots is another concern in that robots may accidentally cause harm, like by bumping into someone and causing them to fall. Ethical considerations should be taken into account before introducing robots into healthcare settings.