Implementing and Testing the Novel REHAB-PAL System on Unimpaired Population: Towards Rehabilitation Engagement at Home with a Socially Assistive Robot for Pediatric Adherence

This study introduces the REHAB-PAL system, an interactive solution for home-based rehabilitation in children with cerebral palsy. To verify its functioning and usability, the system was tested with physical therapists and rehabilitation specialists simulating patient roles. The system was evaluated for its ability to track users' movements during rehabilitation exercises and assess the quality of their performance. A look-up table was developed to correlate kinematic movement characteristics with clinical scores that quantify exercise quality. To enhance exercise performance and promote adherence, the system integrates NAO social robot, programmed to provide verbal instructions, demonstrate exercises, and deliver personalized feedback based on users' movement quality. Feedback delivery was guided by a decisional strategy, prioritizing specific kinematic variables tracked by the system. Participants were asked to perform a rehabilitation session under three experimental conditions: 1) Interaction with the physical NAO robot, 2) Interaction with a virtual robot displayed on a computer screen, and 3) Receiving instructions without the use of a robot. The REHAB-PAL system accurately detected participants' kinematics and automatically generated correct movement scores. Questionnaires revealed participants' preference for the interaction with the physical robot, associated with highest levels of engagement and seen as the most effective means of delivering exercise instructions.