The number of physiotherapists and occupational therapists is not sufficient to cope with the demands of the increasing number of stroke survivors worldwide. These patients need specific training to promote recovery and prevent stroke-related disability. The paper discusses aspects how a social humanoid robots might serve as therapeutic assistant. It is not intended to replace human therapists, but to provide them with therapeutic assistance once therapeutic decisions are taken and the therapy has been introduced to the patient by the human therapists and the day to day practice needs to be supervised. The paper provides a case study of an HCD approach and exemplifies the strategy of digitalizing training tasks, the identification of exceptions, and ways of modelling the dynamic behaviour of the humanoid robot. This is demonstrated by task models. Some extensions of task models are suggested.

Worldwide the number of people living with stroke-related disability is increasing. Neurorehabilitation, e.g. training therapy provided by occupational and physiotherapists helps to reduce impairment and activity limitations effectively. Yet, to cope with the increasing demands, the number of physiotherapists and occupational therapists is not sufficient. The paper proposes the hypothesis that a social humanoid robot might serve as therapeutic assistant for patients during standardized training sessions, after therapists have evaluated a patient's needs, decided on and have the patient made acquainted with an individualized training program. It is first described what kind of training tasks is intended to be supported by a social humanoid robot as training assistant. Second, digitalization of those tasks is presented. Third, the process of building user models for patients and helping persons using the repertory grid approach is discussed. Finally, opportunities for motivating interactions based on these models are mentioned.

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