Rethinking the Role of Collaborative Robots in Rehabilitation

2026-03-05

AI Summary

This study addresses the limitations of current collaborative robots in rehabilitation, which are largely confined to repetitive motion training and fail to leverage their potential across the entire therapeutic continuum—before, during, and after treatment—while also falling short in alleviating the scarcity of physical therapy resources. To overcome these challenges, this work proposes a comprehensive collaborative robotics framework that integrates human–robot interaction technologies with clinical workflows. By incorporating real-time user state perception, robust safety mechanisms, and seamless alignment with therapists’ practices, the framework enables personalized, capability-adaptive interventions. This approach transcends conventional single-mode training paradigms, offering both theoretical foundations and practical pathways to enhance rehabilitation accessibility and reduce clinician workload.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Human-Robot Interaction
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Replanning and Plan Repair
• Humans and AI: Planning and Decision Support for Human-Machine Teams

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: User modeling and simulation for interactive and conversational systems
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Personalized, context-aware and across-device search

Abstract

Current research on collaborative robots (cobots) in physical rehabilitation largely focuses on repeated motion training for people undergoing physical therapy (PuPT), even though these sessions include phases that could benefit from robotic collaboration and assistance. Meanwhile, access to physical therapy remains limited for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Cobots could support both PuPT and therapists, and improve access to therapy, yet their broader potential remains underexplored. We propose extending the scope of cobots by imagining their role in assisting therapists and PuPT before, during, and after a therapy session. We discuss how cobot assistance may lift access barriers by promoting ability-based therapy design and helping therapists manage their time and effort. Finally, we highlight challenges to realizing these roles, including advancing user-state understanding, ensuring safety, and integrating cobots into therapists'workflow. This view opens new research questions and opportunities to draw from the HRI community's advances in assistive robotics.

Problem

• collaborative robots
• physical rehabilitation
• therapy access
• assistive robotics
• human-robot interaction

Innovation

• collaborative robots
• rehabilitation
• ability-based therapy
• human-robot interaction
• assistive robotics