A Narrative Review of Systematic Reviews on the Applications of Social and Assistive Support Robots in the Health Domain
As the interest in social and assistive support robots (SASRs) grows, a review of 17 systematic reviews was conducted to assess their use in healthcare, emotional well-being, and therapy for diverse populations, including older adults, children, and individuals with autism and dementia. SASRs have d...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3793 |
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| author | Daniele Giansanti Andrea Lastrucci Antonio Iannone Antonia Pirrera |
| author_facet | Daniele Giansanti Andrea Lastrucci Antonio Iannone Antonia Pirrera |
| author_sort | Daniele Giansanti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As the interest in social and assistive support robots (SASRs) grows, a review of 17 systematic reviews was conducted to assess their use in healthcare, emotional well-being, and therapy for diverse populations, including older adults, children, and individuals with autism and dementia. SASRs have demonstrated potential in alleviating depression, loneliness, anxiety, and stress, while also improving sleep and cognitive function. Despite these promising outcomes, challenges remain in identifying the most effective interventions, refining robot designs, and evaluating long-term impacts. User acceptance hinges on trustworthiness and empathy-driven design. Compared to earlier review studies, recent research emphasizes the ongoing significance of emotional engagement, the refinement of robot functionalities, and the need to address ethical issues such as privacy and autonomy through robust cybersecurity and data privacy measures. The field is gradually shifting towards a user-centered design approach, focusing on robots as tools to augment, rather than replace, human care. While SASRs offer substantial benefits for emotional well-being and therapeutic support, further research is crucial to enhance their effectiveness and address concerns about replacing human care. Algorethics (AI ethics), interdisciplinary collaboration, and standardization and training emerge as key priorities to ensure the responsible and sustainable deployment of SASRs in healthcare settings, reinforcing the importance of rigorous methodologies and ethical safeguards. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-201bdbc5edfd40b3831c1603633462f3 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-201bdbc5edfd40b3831c1603633462f32025-08-20T02:09:18ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-03-01157379310.3390/app15073793A Narrative Review of Systematic Reviews on the Applications of Social and Assistive Support Robots in the Health DomainDaniele Giansanti0Andrea Lastrucci1Antonio Iannone2Antonia Pirrera3Centro TISP, ISS Via Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Allied Health Professions, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, 50134 Florence, ItalyCREA, Via Ardeatina, 546, 00178 Rome, ItalyCentro TISP, ISS Via Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, ItalyAs the interest in social and assistive support robots (SASRs) grows, a review of 17 systematic reviews was conducted to assess their use in healthcare, emotional well-being, and therapy for diverse populations, including older adults, children, and individuals with autism and dementia. SASRs have demonstrated potential in alleviating depression, loneliness, anxiety, and stress, while also improving sleep and cognitive function. Despite these promising outcomes, challenges remain in identifying the most effective interventions, refining robot designs, and evaluating long-term impacts. User acceptance hinges on trustworthiness and empathy-driven design. Compared to earlier review studies, recent research emphasizes the ongoing significance of emotional engagement, the refinement of robot functionalities, and the need to address ethical issues such as privacy and autonomy through robust cybersecurity and data privacy measures. The field is gradually shifting towards a user-centered design approach, focusing on robots as tools to augment, rather than replace, human care. While SASRs offer substantial benefits for emotional well-being and therapeutic support, further research is crucial to enhance their effectiveness and address concerns about replacing human care. Algorethics (AI ethics), interdisciplinary collaboration, and standardization and training emerge as key priorities to ensure the responsible and sustainable deployment of SASRs in healthcare settings, reinforcing the importance of rigorous methodologies and ethical safeguards.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3793social robotassistance robotassistive robothealthcare applicationsethicsuser acceptance |
| spellingShingle | Daniele Giansanti Andrea Lastrucci Antonio Iannone Antonia Pirrera A Narrative Review of Systematic Reviews on the Applications of Social and Assistive Support Robots in the Health Domain Applied Sciences social robot assistance robot assistive robot healthcare applications ethics user acceptance |
| title | A Narrative Review of Systematic Reviews on the Applications of Social and Assistive Support Robots in the Health Domain |
| title_full | A Narrative Review of Systematic Reviews on the Applications of Social and Assistive Support Robots in the Health Domain |
| title_fullStr | A Narrative Review of Systematic Reviews on the Applications of Social and Assistive Support Robots in the Health Domain |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Narrative Review of Systematic Reviews on the Applications of Social and Assistive Support Robots in the Health Domain |
| title_short | A Narrative Review of Systematic Reviews on the Applications of Social and Assistive Support Robots in the Health Domain |
| title_sort | narrative review of systematic reviews on the applications of social and assistive support robots in the health domain |
| topic | social robot assistance robot assistive robot healthcare applications ethics user acceptance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3793 |
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