System and method for improving healthcare through social robotics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016358276-A1
Application number	US-71158510-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2010
Priority date	Feb 25, 2009
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A computerized system comprising a social robot for interacting with a patient in order to improve the patient's adherence to a health or medical regime. A patient is instructed to perform a health activity (e.g., take medication, step on scale, measure glucose, play a game) at certain intervals in order to reach a specified goal or expected result. The results of the health activity are recorded in a wireless health device and transmitted to a computer. The computer interprets the result of health activity and communicates an action to the robot. If the patient performs the activity within a specified interval and results are consistent with the specified goal or expected result, the robot communicates relief or pleasure. If the patient does not perform the activity within a specified interval, or if the results are not consistent with the specified goal or expected result, the robot communicates anxiety, disappointment or exhibits symptoms of an effect such as hunger or illness.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A computerized system for improving the healthcare of a patient through the utilization of a social robot comprising:
(a) a programmable autonomous social robot for socializing with a patient; (b) a wireless healthcare device physically independent of the autonomous social robot for receiving data regarding a health activity performed by the patient using the wireless healthcare device; (c) a computer for receiving data from the wireless healthcare device and for transmitting data to the social robot; and (d) a database at the computer for storing:
(1) a daily schedule for performing the health activity using the wireless device;
(2) a health goal;
(3) an attention skit;
(4) at least one ignored skit;
(5) an ignored interval field comprising a wait period before exhibiting the at least one ignored skit;
(6) an ignored repeat field comprising a maximum number of times to execute the at least one ignored skit; and
(7) a plurality of emotional reaction skits;
(e) wherein a software application in the computer transmits signals to the robotic device to:
(1) execute the attention skit when the daily schedule indicates data from the wireless healthcare device regarding the health activity is expected;
(2) if data indicative of the patient's performance of the health activity is not received in response to the attention skit, execute the ignored skit:
(i) according to the wait period of the ignored interval field up to the maximum number of times in the ignored repeat field until the data from the wireless healthcare device is received; and

(3) execute one of the emotional reaction skits based on the patient's performance of the health activity wherein the software application selects:
(i) a positive emotional reaction skit if the health activity indicates progression toward the health goal; and
(ii) a negative emotional reaction skit if the health activity does not indicate progression toward the health goal.

22 . The computerized system of claim 21 wherein the health activity is selected from the group consisting of measuring the patient's weight, measuring the patient's blood pressure, measuring the patient's temperature, measuring the patient's glucose, and measuring the patient's pulse.

23 . The computerized system of claim 21 wherein the wireless healthcare device is selected from the group consisting of: a scale, a blood pressure cuff, a thermometer, a glucose meter, a pulse meter, and a urinalysis device.

24 . The computerized system of claim 21 wherein the computer comprises a computer display for displaying a graph of the health activity data over a period of time.

25 . The computerized system of claim 21 wherein the emotional reaction skit performed by the autonomous social robot is selected from the group of moving a part, making a sound, and flashing a light.

26 . The computerized system of claim 21 wherein the autonomous social robot has the appearance of a dinosaur.

27 . A computerized system for improving the healthcare of a patient through the utilization of a social robot comprising:
(a) a programmable autonomous social robot for socializing with a patient; (b) a computer for communicating with the autonomous social robot; (c) a database at the computer for storing schedule data relating to the patient; and (d) wherein a software application in the computer:
(1) monitors for receipt from a wireless healthcare device of health activity data for a health activity performed by the patient, the wireless healthcare device physically independent of the autonomous social robot; and
(2) in response to the monitoring causes a signal to be transmitted to the autonomous social robot to perform one of a plurality of reaction skits for the patient based on the patient's performance of the health activity wherein the software application:
(i) selects an attention reaction skit to execute when data from the wireless healthcare device is expected according to the schedule data;
(ii) if data indicative of the patient's performance of the health activity is not received in response to the attention skit, selects an ignore reaction skit to execute:
(A) a specified maximum number of times according to a wait time between executions of the ignore reaction skit until the health activity data from the wireless healthcare device is received; and

(iii) after receipt of the health activity data, selects
(A) a positive emotional reaction skit if the health activity was performed according to the schedule and indicates progression toward a health goal; or
(B) a negative emotional reaction skit if the health activity was performed according to the schedule and does not indicate progression toward a health goal.

28 . The computerized system of claim 27 wherein the health activity is selected from the group consisting of measuring the patient's weight, measuring the patient's blood pressure, measuring the patient's temperature, measuring the patient's glucose, and measuring the patient's pulse.

29 . The computerized system of claim 27 wherein the wireless healthcare device is selected from the group consisting of: a scale, a blood pressure cuff, a thermometer, a glucose meter, a pulse meter, and a urinalysis device.

30 . The computerized system of claim 27 wherein the emotional reaction skit performed by the social robot is selected from the group of moving a part, making a sound, and flashing a light.

31 . The computerized system of claim 27 wherein the computer is contained within the autonomous social robot.

32 . A computerized system for improving the healthcare of a patient through the utilization of a social robot comprising:
(a) a programmable autonomous social robot for socializing with the patient according to a sequence selected for the patient based on the patient's performance of a health activity wherein the social robot comprises: (b) memory for storing:
(1) a schedule for receiving data indicative of the patient's performance of the health activity;
(2) a health goal;
(3) an attention skit;
(4) an ignored skit;
(5) an ignored interval field comprising a wait period before exhibiting the ignored skit;
(6) an ignored repeat field comprising a maximum number of times to execute the ignored skit;
(7) a positive emotional reaction skit; and
(8) a negative emotional reaction skit;
(c) a skit player application executing instructions to:
(1) play the attention skit to attract attention of the patient;
(2) monitor according to the schedule receipt of data indicative of the patient's performance of the health activity;
(3) if data indicative of the patient's performance of the health activity is received according to the schedule and indicates progression toward the health goal, play the positive emotional reaction skit to indicate approval of the patient's behavior;
(4) if data indicative of the patient's performance of the health activity is received according to the schedule and does not indicate progression toward the health goal, play the negative emotional reaction skit to indicate disapproval of the patient's behavior; and
(5) if data indicative of the patient's performance of the health activity is not received in response to the attention skit according to the schedule, play the ignored skit:
(i) according to the wait period of the ignored interval field for the maximum number of times in the ignored repeat field until data indicative of the patient's performance of the health activity is received.

33 . The system of claim 32 wherein the attention, ignored, positive emotional reaction, and negative emotional reaction skits

Assignees

• Stephenson Peter
• Humana Inc

Inventors

• Stephenson Peter

Classifications

• G06Q50/22 Primary

  Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services · CPC title

• G16Z99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G16H40/67

  for remote operation · CPC title

• G16H20/00 Primary

  ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance · CPC title