Artificial Intelligence-poweresed entity, modeled after a 7-year-old girl, deployed in hospitals to counteract feelings of dread and isolation.
Robot Robin Brings Comfort and Companionship to Healthcare Facilities
In healthcare facilities across California, Massachusetts, New York, Indiana, and beyond, a unique presence has become a familiar fixture – Robin, an artificial intelligence-powered therapeutic robot. Developed by PAL Robotics, this little girl-like robot is designed to provide emotional support and help combat staffing shortages in healthcare facilities.
Robin has proven particularly effective in pediatric hospitals, where she provides much-needed emotional support to children dealing with the stress and loneliness that often accompany hospital stays. By playing their favourite songs and dancing with them, Robin brings a touch of joy and distraction to the lives of patients like a teenager recovering from a car accident.
Robin's interactions are not one-sided. She remembers names, plays memory games, and even engages in simplified versions of games like tic-tac-toe with patients. In nursing homes, she offers a form of companionship that resembles a grandchild visiting a grandparent, providing comfort to people suffering from dementia.
Robin's personality and character have evolved significantly based on the responses from those she interacts with. Her ability to mirror the emotions of the person she is talking with, laughing if the patient is laughing and showing sadness and empathy if the conversation is difficult, has made her a beloved companion.
Robin was developed by Karen Khachikyan during his Ph.D. studies, initially tested in various industries before finding her calling in pediatric hospitals. She has already been successfully introduced at a pediatric hospital in Armenia and launched a pilot program at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital by 2020.
In addition to her current role, Robin's creators are working towards making her capable of measuring patients' vitals and sending the information to their medical team. Long-term plans for Robin include designing her to help elderly patients with activities like changing clothes and going to the bathroom.
The Association of American Medical Colleges predicts a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians in the U.S. over the next 11 years. Karen Khachikyan, Robin's creator, has a vision for Robin to go beyond her current support role, potentially filling some of this gap and providing a vital service in the future.
Robin was developed as a way to provide companionship, a mission born from Karen Khachikyan's own upbringing in a single-parent household in Armenia. Her favourite animal was initially set to be a dog or cat, but changed to chicken after children found it funny.
In facilities across the US, Robin has already made a significant impact, helping patients cope with difficult situations. She has even been able to calm down a woman having a panic attack in a Los Angeles facility by playing her favourite music and videos. As Robin continues to evolve and adapt, she promises to bring comfort and companionship to many more in the years to come.
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