Evaluation of social robots in a Children's Hospital Outpatient Dept
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A mixed methods evaluation of the use of two social robots in a Children's Hospital Out Patient department
IRAS ID
277560
Contact name
Alessandro Di Nuovo
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may experience specific challenges during clinical appointments, such as increased anxiety in unfamiliar settings which may lead to difficulties in interactions, thus clinicians may not be able to engage and interact effectively with these children. These difficulties can act as a barrier to receiving effective healthcare.
This study is an exploratory project that aims at investigating how social robots can be used in a hospital environment to support children with ASD. This project will help us to know if and how children interact with the social robots and if it can help reduce their anxiety and make them feel more comfortable before they undergo routine medical procedures such as a having a blood test, having a plaster-cast or an X-Ray.
REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/EM/0027
Date of REC Opinion
21 May 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion