Robotic Technology in Pediatric Neurorehabilitation. A Pilot Study of Human Factors in an Italian Pediatric Hospital

Abstract

The introduction of robotic neurorehabilitation among the most recent technologies in pediatrics represents a new opportunity to treat pediatric patients. This study aims at evaluating the response of physiotherapists, patients and their parents to this new technology. The study considered the outcomes of technological innovation in physiotherapists (perception of the workload, satisfaction), as well as that in patients and their parents (quality of life, expectations, satisfaction) by comparing the answers to subjective questionnaires of those who made use of the new technology with those who used the traditional therapy. A total of 12 workers, 46 patients and 47 parents were enrolled in the study. Significant differences were recorded in the total workload score of physiotherapists who use the robotic technology compared with the traditional therapy (p < 0.001). Patients reported a higher quality of life and satisfaction after the use of the robotic neurorehabilitation therapy. The parents of patients undergoing the robotic therapy have moderately higher expectations and satisfaction than those undergoing the traditional therapy. In this pilot study, the robotic neurorehabilitation technique involved a significant increase in the patients’ and parents’ expectations. As it frequently happens in the introduction of new technologies, physiotherapists perceived a greater workload. Further studies are needed to verify the results achieved.

Virtual Reality in Health Care: Bibliometric Analysis

“…This large cluster covers 19 keywords revolving around promoting a more rounded caretaker/patient dialogue, with a focus on children. Some papers address issues regarding hindered communication with children and how VR can help with that [ 38 , 39 ], as well as the development of communication skills for patients [ 40 , 41 ] and medical staff [ 42 , 43 ].…”

“…After clustering the author keywords, clear distinctions were apparent, with the currently highest trending area of research involving communication and the integration of VR for educational purposes. This topic spans over manifold instances like patient and caretaker interactions, communication training, and new forms of education [ 10 , 38 , 43 ]. The second most prominent field combines telemedicine and VR, with a foray into the development of VR-based “medical professionals.” The focus is on the implementation of a VR setting in which health care professionals do not necessarily need to be physically present, or even involved in the procedure at all [ 45 , 46 ].…”

Technical Feasibility of Supervision of Stretching Exercises by a Humanoid Robot Coach for Chronic Low Back Pain: The R-COOL Randomized Trial

“…In general, physiotherapists have been found to have positive attitudes towards the use of robotic technology in rehabilitation, as long as they fulfil their intended goals, are not time consuming to set up, and therapists receive adequate training in their use [ 34 , 35 ]. Negative reactions may occur if therapists perceive an increase in their workload [ 36 ]—the results of the UTAUT-TAM questionnaire showed that the majority of physiotherapists replied ‘totally disagree' to the questions regarding work and productivity, suggesting that use of the Poppy robot generated more work for them, rather than relieving them. Performance expectancy has been found to be a powerful factor influencing therapist's willingness to use a technological device [ 34 ].…”

Comparison of Subjective Responses of Low Back Pain Patients and Asymptomatic Controls to Use of Spinal Exoskeleton during Simple Load Lifting Tasks: A Pilot Study

“…Moreover, the expansion of subjective assessments could provide more comprehensive information. For instance, Gilardi et al [ 22 ] used detailed questionnaires to assess workload, quality of life, and customer experience settings related to robotic technology in pediatric neurorehabilitation. In that study, the novel robotic neurorehabilitation technique was associated significant increase in the patients’ and parents’ expectations.…”