What is it about?
This study explores how technology can motivate patients to exercise more and support therapists in their work, especially when there aren’t enough healthcare staff. Using a design thinking approach, the research tested three technological solutions—a humanoid robot, a mobile avatar, and a stationary avatar. It found that while patients liked the humanoid robot, simpler, cost-effective solutions like avatars on screens worked just as well.
Featured Image
Photo by Alex Knight on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Many hospitalized older adults spend most of their time being inactive, which can slow or even negatively impact recovery. This study offers practical, affordable solutions to make exercise therapy more engaging and accessible for geriatric patients, even with limited healthcare resources. It opens the door for innovative, patient-friendly technologies that can improve therapy outcomes and enhance the overall hospital experience.
Perspectives
I firmly believe that the proposed solution offers a cost-effective yet powerful way to motivate elderly patients and support therapists in promoting exercise therapy. By improving patient health and recovery, it has the potential to improve treatment outcomes and reduce healthcare costs over time by reducing readmission rates. This approach could become a valuable tool in hospitals worldwide.
Jonas Frei
Fachhochschule Ostschweiz
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Assessing Technological Complexity and the Necessity of Physical Presence for Effective Exercise Support in an Acute Geriatric Ward: A Design Thinking Approach, November 2024, ACM (Association for Computing Machinery),
DOI: 10.1145/3687272.3688327.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
