Ayanna M. Howard, Motorola Foundation Professor and Associate Director of Research at the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (Georgia Institute of Technology), introduces us to the world of healthcare robotics for therapy purposes. The first point Prof. Howard addresses is the role of robotics in healthcare which is not only to be associated to classical disabilities but to raising the quality of body functionality, hence raising the quality of human life. In this view, she focuses on robots to be used in home environments both by those suffering of classical (genetic or acquired) disabilities as well as by anyone in need of specialized medical care - a robot healthcare assistant. How to provide robotics that can be used both at home and at the hospital in all safety and with highly functional settings and how to have this robots assisting a variety of different individuals in terms of age, disabilities, and specific treatment needs are just some of the questions Dr. Howard addresses in this short but very engaging video lecture.
Dr. Howard also highlights the benefits, characteristics and current developments of robotic systems employed in assisting individuals when improving their movement coordination or function; for example in children with CP who not only need therapy assistance but also a play component to motivate and engage.
To find out more about the challenges of robots in therapy, play therapy implementation and robot monitoring/manipulation of the environment in this particular field of robotic application, watch this latest lecture added to our IJARS Video Series.
