Trial of robot assisted activity using robotic pets in children hospital

Trial of RAA (robot assisted activity) using robotic pet for hospitalized pre-school and school aged child in children hospital was carried out in order to investigate the influence to mood and consider "human-robotic interaction" and the possibility of child inpatient's QOL (quality of life) improvement. By DV-cam observation, it was found that human (companion: our student staff) human (subject; child inpatient) interaction is quite important to enhance robotic-human (subject) interaction. By effectively introducing companion, child retained his interest for long time and eager to join every time RAA. Questionnaire was administered after RAA in order to assess mood and a state of mind of child inpatient. It is found that most of child inpatients and their parents felt positive mood and RAA assisted increased communication among inpatients or between child and nurse.