Rehabilitative Robots and How They Differ

Feil-Seifer, David., and Maja Mataric. “Defining Socially Assistive Robots.” Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE. University of Southern California, 1 July 2005. Web. 15 April 2010 <http://robotics.usc.edu/~maja/teaching/cs584/papers/feilseifer.pdf>.

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The stated purpose of this article is to provide the definition of Socially Assistive Robots (SAR's) and to distinguish between the different types of rehabilitative robots. As opposed to "Contact Assistive Robots" which assist through physical contact, and "Socially Interactive Robots" which are designed mainly to entertain, Socially Assistive Robots" (SAR's) are designed to "aid or support a human user" without making physical contact. "Contact Assistive Robots" that physically move the patients' limbs have been used a great deal in post-stroke patients, but the most effective therapy continues to be that in which a human therapist reminds and coaches the patient to "repeatedly use the affected limb". The authors believe that "Socially Assistive Robots" combine the positive aspects of both of those types of therapy without the downsides. Since SAR's do not physically touch the patients, the risk for injury is greatly reduced. Also, the patient's limb gets a better workout because the patient is doing the work instead of a "machine." A robot can have advantages over a human therapist in that it can be reprogrammed and reused, among other things. Through speech, gestures and direct input, SAR's can help with tasks such as tutoring, physical therapy, daily life assistance, and emotional expression. The authors see great potential for the use of SAR's with several populations of people including the elderly, people with physical impairments, people in convalescent care, people with cognitive disorders, and students.

This article is helpful on several levels for those who are asking the question, "In light of the controversy over the effects of sociable robots on human emotions and relationships, should therapists utilize robots with their patients?" In order to answer the question, one must have a clear understanding of how robots are being used and what types of people are receiving the therapy. The article clearly defines the different types of therapeutic robots and how they differ from one another. It also spells out the tasks that they perform and what groups of people are being treated with them. Since one of the authors of the article is Maja J. Mataric, the "brain" behind the development of therapeutic robots, it is an excellent source of information about the facts, benefits and possibilities of this type of therapy. While the article does not directly address the controversy about whether robotic therapy enhances or inhibits a person's ability to relate to humans, it does give an example of a situation in which robotic therapy enhances a patient's ability to interact socially with other humans. Autistic children and children facing cardiac illness who are reluctant to talk, are willing to create and act out stories with robots as a way of expressing their feelings. The article is valuable in that it lays the groundwork for intelligent discussion by providing information about how the therapy is conducted and by presenting the positive aspects of robotic therapy.