Extended Interviews with Stroke Patients Over a Long-Term Rehabilitation Using Human-Robot or Human-Computer...

Area of Science:

• Human-Robot Interaction
• Rehabilitation Technologies
• Stroke Recovery

Background:

• Socially assistive robots (SARs) are explored for post-stroke exercise assistance.
• Trust is a critical factor in human-robot interaction for rehabilitation.
• Long-term patient experience is key to understanding trust in assistive platforms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize factors influencing stroke patients' trust in robot-operated vs. computer-operated rehabilitation platforms.
• To explore user perspectives on trust during and after long-term rehabilitation.
• To assess the added value of SARs compared to standard computer interfaces in stroke care.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research using extended "in the wild" interviews.
• 29 interviews with 16 stroke patients undergoing long-term rehabilitation (5-7 weeks/patient).
• Analysis of patient perspectives on trust in SARs and computer interfaces.

Main Results:

• Personal characteristics (age, gender) affect acceptance of non-human operators.
• SARs offer added value in rehabilitative care beyond standard computers.
• SAR group patients preferred functional performance over social skills; Computer group patients valued memory training.

Conclusions:

• SARs can augment traditional rehabilitative therapies for stroke patients.
• Patient trust in rehabilitation technology is influenced by a combination of factors.
• Understanding user preferences is crucial for optimizing robot-assisted rehabilitation design.