Care provided by humanoid robots: a scoping review.
Lailla Ketly Ferreira Tiradentes Ruiz, Tatiana da Silva Melo Malaquias, Geraldo Bezerra da Silva Junior and 4 others
PMID 40382007WHAT IT FOUND
Humanoid robots in healthcare were used mainly for social interaction, with some physical rehabilitation support and health information.
This review mapped how they were used, not whether they improved patient outcomes.
Key findings
01The review retained 27 publications that directly answered the question about care provided by humanoid robots.
02Social interaction accounted for 62.1% of included studies, physical rehabilitation 24.1%, and health information 10.3%.
03Included studies involved children, adults, older adults, and healthcare providers, and were conducted in hospitals, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, university research centres, and a private residence.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The authors say the limited sample of studies prevents generalising the findings. They also say early-stage included research and restricted access to databases compromised the breadth and depth of the analysis. The concept of care was broadened after the first search, so the included studies may not be directly comparable. The review mapped robot uses across many populations and settings, so it cannot tell a clinician which robot-delivered care works for which patient.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that humanoid robots improve patient care. It is a scoping review describing how robots were used, not a test of effectiveness.