University of Twente Student Theses
Designing a socially assistive robot, to aid in healthy loading for people with knee osteoarthritis.
Rutten, Suzanne (2025) Designing a socially assistive robot, to aid in healthy loading for people with knee osteoarthritis.
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| Abstract: | Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide, with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) being especially common due to aging populations and rising obesity rates. Current management strategies often include medication, education, exercise, and technological interventions. However, the adoption of innovative solutions , which support self-management and symptom alleviation remain underexplored. This research investigates how social robots can aid in KOA symptom management through guided exercise and behavior change techniques (BCTs). The realization phase involved the development of a high-fidelity prototype. Key findings indicated the importance of instant feedback, enjoyment during interactions, and adaptive features aligned with user preferences and physical limitations. The prototype effectively demonstrated its potential in addressing KOA symptom management. Although further testing is required. Strengths include; the robot’s ability to blend physical activity guidance with behaviour change support. Limitations include limited evaluation, lack of pre-existing evidence of safe joint loading, and limitations to the robots capabilities. Future work emphasizes refining technical capabilities, further user testing, and further integration of activity tracking devices. In conclusion, this study establishes the feasibility and user acceptance of social robots as supportive tools for KOA management, blending physical exercise with innovative technology and user-centred design principles to promote self-management through exercise. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | EEMCS: Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science |
| Subject: | 44 medicine |
| Programme: | Creative Technology BSc (50447) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/106453 |
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