Humanoid robotics in health care: An exploration of children's and parents' emotional reactions.
A new non-pharmacological method of distraction was tested with 57 children during their annual flu vaccination. Given children's growing enthusiasm for technological devices, a humanoid robot was programmed to interact with them while a nurse administered the vaccination. Children smiled more often with the robot, as compared to the control condition, but they did not cry less. Parents indicated that their children held stronger memories for the robot than for the needle, wanted the robot in the future, and felt empowered to cope. We conclude that children and their parents respond positively to a humanoid robot at the bedside.
['Beran|Tanya N|TN|', 'Ramirez-Serrano|Alex|A|', 'Vanderkooi|Otto G|OG|', 'Kuhn|Susan|S|']
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological D000328:Adult D000704:Analysis of Variance D002648:Child D002675:Child, Preschool D003448:Crying D004644:Emotions D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007252:Influenza Vaccines D008297:Male D008568:Memory D010290:Parents D012371:Robotics D012904:Smiling
robotics vaccination human–robot interaction immunization pain management pediatric