dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaInterprofessional and Agile Development of Mobirobot: A Socially Assistive Robot for Pediatric Therapy Across Clinical and Therapeutic Settings
| Authors | Leonie Dyck, Aiko Galetzka, Maximilian Noller, Anna-Lena Rinke, Jutta Bormann, Jekaterina Miller, Michelle Hochbaum, Julia Siemann, Jördis Alboth, Andre Berwinkel, Johanna Luz, Britta Kley-Zobel, Marcine Cyrys, Nora Flöttmann, Ariane Vogeler, Mariia Melnikova, Ira-Katharina Petras, Michael Siniatchkin, Winfried Barthlen, Anna-Lisa Vollmer |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | 2601.09838vv1 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.09838 |
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
Abstract
Introduction: Socially assistive robots hold promise for enhancing therapeutic engagement in paediatric clinical settings. However, their successful implementation requires not only technical robustness but also context-sensitive, co-designed solutions. This paper presents Mobirobot, a socially assistive robot developed to support mobilisation in children recovering from trauma, fractures, or depressive disorders through personalised exercise programmes. Methods: An agile, human-centred development approach guided the iterative design of Mobirobot. Multidisciplinary clinical teams and end users were involved throughout the co-development process, which focused on early integration into real-world paediatric surgical and psychiatric settings. The robot, based on the NAO platform, features a simple setup, adaptable exercise routines with interactive guidance, motivational dialogue, and a graphical user interface (GUI) for monitoring and no-code system feedback. Results: Deployment in hospital environments enabled the identification of key design requirements and usability constraints. Stakeholder feedback led to refinements in interaction design, movement capabilities, and technical configuration. A feasibility study is currently underway to assess acceptance, usability, and perceived therapeutic benefit, with data collection including questionnaires, behavioural observations, and staff-patient interviews. Discussion: Mobirobot demonstrates how multiprofessional, stakeholder-led development can yield a socially assistive system suited for dynamic inpatient settings. Early-stage findings underscore the importance of contextual integration, robustness, and minimal-intrusion design. While challenges such as sensor limitations and patient recruitment remain, the platform offers a promising foundation for further research and clinical application.
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"abstract": "Introduction: Socially assistive robots hold promise for enhancing therapeutic engagement in paediatric clinical settings. However, their successful implementation requires not only technical robustness but also context-sensitive, co-designed solutions. This paper presents Mobirobot, a socially assistive robot developed to support mobilisation in children recovering from trauma, fractures, or depressive disorders through personalised exercise programmes.\n Methods: An agile, human-centred development approach guided the iterative design of Mobirobot. Multidisciplinary clinical teams and end users were involved throughout the co-development process, which focused on early integration into real-world paediatric surgical and psychiatric settings. The robot, based on the NAO platform, features a simple setup, adaptable exercise routines with interactive guidance, motivational dialogue, and a graphical user interface (GUI) for monitoring and no-code system feedback.\n Results: Deployment in hospital environments enabled the identification of key design requirements and usability constraints. Stakeholder feedback led to refinements in interaction design, movement capabilities, and technical configuration. A feasibility study is currently underway to assess acceptance, usability, and perceived therapeutic benefit, with data collection including questionnaires, behavioural observations, and staff-patient interviews.\n Discussion: Mobirobot demonstrates how multiprofessional, stakeholder-led development can yield a socially assistive system suited for dynamic inpatient settings. Early-stage findings underscore the importance of contextual integration, robustness, and minimal-intrusion design. While challenges such as sensor limitations and patient recruitment remain, the platform offers a promising foundation for further research and clinical application.",
"arxiv_id": "2601.09838",
"authors": [
"Leonie Dyck",
"Aiko Galetzka",
"Maximilian Noller",
"Anna-Lena Rinke",
"Jutta Bormann",
"Jekaterina Miller",
"Michelle Hochbaum",
"Julia Siemann",
"J\u00f6rdis Alboth",
"Andre Berwinkel",
"Johanna Luz",
"Britta Kley-Zobel",
"Marcine Cyrys",
"Nora Fl\u00f6ttmann",
"Ariane Vogeler",
"Mariia Melnikova",
"Ira-Katharina Petras",
"Michael Siniatchkin",
"Winfried Barthlen",
"Anna-Lisa Vollmer"
],
"categories": [
"cs.RO",
"cs.HC"
],
"license": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
"title": "Interprofessional and Agile Development of Mobirobot: A Socially Assistive Robot for Pediatric Therapy Across Clinical and Therapeutic Settings",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.09838",
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