Humanoid Social Robots in Rehabilitation

Humanoid Social Robots in Rehabilitation

To increase the interest of a child in motor training we have tried to use a humanoid social robot that acts like a coach to encourage the patient.

KineTron

The  humanoid  robot  "KineTron"  was  assembled  from  commercially  available Bioloid Premium robotic kit. Nine movement scenarios of  robot  behaviour  combined  with  voice  and  music  were developed.

During the training session, a therapist activates one of the scenarios by pressing a button on the remote.

Evaluation of the Rehabilitation Robot was carried out on a group of six children with Cerebral Palsy, aged between 4-9 years. Rehabilitation Robot was used during 5-7 training sessions. All children and parents liked the sessions with the Rehabilitation Robot.

This pilot study suggests that there are potential benefits in using humanoid robots in motor training of patients with cerebral palsy. It appears to be motivating for the child and encourages active participation in rehabilitation activities.