Jayawardena, Chandimal (Unitec Institute of Technology), Kuo, I Han (The University of Auckland), Datta, Chandan (University of Auckland), Stafford, Rebecca McAulay Quinlan (The University of Auckland), Broadbent, Elizabeth (University of Auckland), MacDonald, Bruce (University of Auckland)

Design, implementation and field tests of a socially assistive robot for the elderly: HealthBot Version 2

Scheduled for presentation during the Organized Session "Assistive Robotics II" (WeC1), Wednesday, June 27, 2012, 16:15−16:30, Aula Magna

Fourth IEEE RAS/EMBS International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics, June 24-27, 2012, Roma, Italy

This information is tentative and subject to change. Compiled on April 2, 2020

Abstract

This paper presents the second version of a mobile service robot (HealthBot) designed for older people. The lessons learned from studies of the first version of the robot at a retirement village, and design decisions for the second version, are discussed. Technical requirements of field trials, a focus on cognitive human-robot interactions, the importance of working together in a multidisciplinary team, and the necessity for rapid iterative development suggested a new software framework. The features of new framework are discussed and implementation details are presented. Details of field trials and user acceptance results are presented. Results are promising for older-user acceptance of the robot.