Wait for me! Towards socially assistive walk companions
This addresses the problem of physical activity motivation for elderly and rehabilitation patients, but it is incremental as it applies an existing robot with a compliance approach.
The study designed a humanoid robot guide using Pepper to match user motion intentions for elderly and rehabilitation patients, with a feasibility evaluation in a rehabilitation center showing potential benefits for motivating physical activity.
The aim of the present study involves designing a humanoid robot guide as a walking trainer for elderly and rehabilitation patients. The system is based on the humanoid robot Pepper with a compliance approach that allows to match the motion intention of the user to the robot's pace. This feasibility study is backed up by an experimental evaluation conducted in a rehabilitation centre. We hypothesize that Pepper robot used as an assistive partner, can also benefit elderly users by motivating them to perform physical activity.