Robin the Robot, programmed for smiles at UMass Memorial Medical Center
WORCESTER – It's approximately 4 feet tall, has expressive eyes and a childlike voice that will melt your heart.
Its name is Robin, and it's the newest caregiver in pediatrics at UMass Memorial Medical Center - University Campus.
Actually, Robin’s full name is Robin the Robot, and it's the only one of its kind currently working in Massachusetts and on the East Coast.
Developed with human-assisted artificial intelligence (AI) by Expper Technologies Inc., Robin has a full range of conversational skills.
It answers questions, and plays games like hide-and-seek and rock, paper, scissors. It also offers encouragement, is full of educational information and even tells playful jokes.
All of it accomplished with a simple, minimally-designed face on a small, rectangular computer screen atop a cone-shaped, white body that glides effortlessly.
Besides its whimsical nature, it’s those big, expressive eyes that blink and display a range of emotions that draw in patients, families and staff.
Fun tool
“It’s a fun tool,” said Kendra Frederick, UMass Memorial Health program manager of Child Life, who explained Robin engages children isolated during medical care to ease anxiety, stress, loneliness and pain.
Loaded with software and responses, Robin joined UMass last Wednesday, and it is making an impact with patients.
A UMass officially shared a story about a pediatric patient who wasn’t motivated to get out of bed, but got up and walked down the hall to see Robin in a playroom.
Broader applications?
While Frederick acknowledged “nothing replaces human contact,” Robin could have broader applications.
That includes interactions with adult patients, said Justin Precourt, chief nursing officer at UMass Medical Center.
Precourt cited a scenario where Robin could ease confusion and stress in patients suffering with dementia. Those patients sometimes pull intravenous tubes from their arms, and if Robin is available to provide comfort and support, those IV incidents could decrease.
“Hospitals are the most vulnerable place, and anything to normalize the experience and decrease vulnerability for patients is really important,” said Precourt of Robin's benefits and potential.
Robin arrived in Worcester through the financial support of the UMass Memorial Health Innovation Fund.
Besides its work at UMass, another Robin is currently working in pediatrics at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. Robin's third location is in what Frederick called a long-stay pediatric hospital, Heritage Day Hospital in Orange County, California.
Never could have imagined Robin
Frederick has worked in health care for 20 years, and when she looked back on that start two decades ago, she never imagined something like Robin could materialize.
Now, Frederick is sold on Robin’s value for patients.
She pointed out a few of Robin's particulars including a small circle on the cone-shaped midsection that changes color, the robot’s gender-neutral name and that Robin’s pre-programmed AI can be updated with information tied to a specific region or hospital.
“(Robin) is a really wonderful tool and I’m excited to have it here,” she said.
Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @henrytelegram
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Robin the Robot, programmed for smiles in pediatrics at UMass Memorial Medical Center
