ROMI: a robot for Osteoarthritis medical information : Artificial Intelligence reinforced social robotics in patient communication for patients with Osteoarthritis

Transfer of information is an essential part of medical care. However, increasing constraints on time and resources necessitate innovative solutions for patient communication. Social robots are designed to interact naturally with humans and assist with tasks requiring communication and collaboration. These robots can be programmed to perform simple tasks but can also be reinforced with artificial intelligence, allowing them to learn, adapt to changing situations, and understand and react to human behavior and emotions. In this study, an AI-reinforced social robot was implemented in a clinical setting to support the transfer of medical information to osteoarthritis patients. The robot was integrated with ChatGPT to provide accurate, real-time responses to patient queries, enabling it to serve as a valuable informational tool. Through a series of experiments, the robot’s ability to enhance patient understanding and support healthcare professionals by answering routine inquiries was evaluated, focusing on the acceptability, usefulness, and potential impact on patient-health care provider interactions.