Host: The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
Name : [in Japanese]
Date : March 13, 2024 - March 14, 2024
In the face of the aged society and a significant increase in mental disorders, this study proposes a novel therapeutic approach. Over the 15-year period from Heisei 14 to Heisei 29, the number of patients with mental disorders has approximately doubled. Conventional treatments such as pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy present challenges, prompting exploration of therapy robots as an alternative to pet therapy. However, existing therapy robots heavily incorporate animal features, making it unclear which elements contribute to their effectiveness. Therefore, this research aims to identify elements of a therapy robot focusing on human tactile sensation, using the Qoobo, a robot with animal features removed, as a base. Elements such as fur, tail, and breathing are selectively removed from the Qoobo, and variations in softness are examined to evaluate their impact on therapy. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) is employed to assess the effects, and a t-test analysis is conducted to identify essential therapy elements. This identification of necessary elements for therapy robots may contribute to facilitating patient treatment by easily incorporating these elements into robots designed for therapy, which was not achievable previously.
