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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Background: Socially Assistive Robots (SARs) represent an innovative approach in rehabilitation technology, significantly enhancing the support and motivation for individuals across diverse rehabilitation settings. Despite their growing utilization, especially in stroke recovery and pediatric rehabilitation, their potential in musculoskeletal and orthopedic rehabilitation remains largely underexplored. Although there is methodological and outcome variability across the included studies, this review aims to critically evaluate and summarize the research on SARs in rehabilitation, providing a thorough overview of the current evidence and practical applications. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases, resulting in the selection of 20 studies for analysis. The reviewed papers were categorized into three main classes based on the roles of the robots in rehabilitation: Motivation, Imitation, and Feedback Providers. Results: The analysis highlights that SARs significantly improve adherence to rehabilitation programs, enhance motor function, and increase motivation across clinical and home settings. Robots such as NAO, Pepper, and ZORA demonstrated high efficacy, particularly in stroke recovery and pediatric rehabilitation. Conclusions: SARs offer transformative benefits in rehabilitation, providing scalable, personalized solutions through motivational support, guided exercises, and real-time feedback. Their integration into orthopedic rehabilitation could address critical clinical needs, enhancing precision in exercises, adherence to long-term programs, and overall patient outcomes. Future research should prioritize the development and validation of SAR-based interventions for musculoskeletal disorders to unlock their full potential in this domain.

Details

Title
Exploring the Impact of Socially Assistive Robots in Rehabilitation Scenarios
Author
Carnevale, Arianna 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Raso, Alessandra 1 ; Antonacci, Carla 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Mancini, Letizia 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Corradini, Alessandra 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Ceccaroli, Alice 1 ; Casciaro, Carlo 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Candela, Vincenzo 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; de Sire, Alessandro 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Pieter D’Hooghe 4 ; Umile Giuseppe Longo 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; [email protected] (A.C.); [email protected] (A.R.); [email protected] (C.A.); [email protected] (L.M.); [email protected] (A.C.); [email protected] (A.C.); [email protected] (C.C.); [email protected] (V.C.) 
 Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; [email protected] (A.C.); [email protected] (A.R.); [email protected] (C.A.); [email protected] (L.M.); [email protected] (A.C.); [email protected] (A.C.); [email protected] (C.C.); [email protected] (V.C.); Laboratory of Measurement and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy 
 Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; [email protected]; Research Center on Musculoskeletal Health, MusculoSkeletalHealth@UMG, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy 
 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sportsmedicine, Aspetar Hospital, Doha 29222, Qatar; [email protected] 
 Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; [email protected] (A.C.); [email protected] (A.R.); [email protected] (C.A.); [email protected] (L.M.); [email protected] (A.C.); [email protected] (A.C.); [email protected] (C.C.); [email protected] (V.C.); Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy 
First page
204
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
23065354
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3170946724
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.