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Assistive Technologies, Robotics, and Automated Machines in the Health Domain:...
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Assistive Technologies, Robotics, and Automated Machines in the Health Domain: Second Edition

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "TeleHealth and Digital Healthcare".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 6148

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Daniele Giansanti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro Nazionale TISP, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
Interests: biomedical engineering; robotics; artificial intelligence; digital health; rehabilitation; smart technology; cybersecurity; mental health; animal-assisted therapy; social robotics; acceptance; diagnostic pathology and radiology; medical imaging; patient safety; healthcare quality; health assessment; chronic disease
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are thrilled to announce the second edition of the highly successful Special Issue on "Assistive Technologies, Robotics and Automated Machines" in Healthcare. Following the remarkable response and impact of the previous edition, we cordially invite you to contribute your insightful research and expertise to this exciting field.

The convergence of assistive technologies, robotics, and automated systems holds tremendous potential for revolutionizing healthcare. These high-tech elements have the power to make significant contributions when integrated into the health domain, both as individual components and interconnected systems.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), assistive technologies are key enablers of inclusion and participation, particularly for individuals with disabilities. Their primary objective is to enhance individuals' functioning and independence, empowering them to engage fully in all aspects of life, from education to work. Similarly, care robots have garnered immense interest, with their applications in robotic surgery, socially assistive roles, rehabilitation systems, and training for health and care workers. They have been identified as highly promising by the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies of the European Parliament. Moreover, automated systems are playing an increasingly vital role in healthcare decision-making, therapeutic interventions, and rehabilitation approaches. They have the potential to reshape the landscape of medicine, ranging from error-free therapies and support for medical decision workflows to direct patient interaction through robots and other artificial-intelligence-based solutions.

The integration of assistive technologies, robotics, and automated systems is of strategic importance in the health domain. It allows for the implementation of ambient assisted living by using robotics and automated machines. It also enables individuals to receive assistance and rehabilitation in the comfort of their own homes, leveraging the capabilities of robotic and automated systems. The scope of this Special Issue extends from scientific advancements to clinical integration, encompassing regulatory, ethical, and societal acceptance aspects.

We invite authors to contribute their pioneering research, development, and integration work on these technologies, both as standalone components and in conjunction with each other. The potential topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Assistive technologies:
  • Alternative and augmentative communication;
  • Rehabilitation and assistance robotics;
  • Social robots;
  • Automated machines;
  • Artificial intelligence in biomedicine;
  • Machine ethics;
  • Artificial intelligence in diagnostics;
  • Artificial intelligence in therapy;
  • Moral robots.

We welcome submissions of commentaries, original research articles, short reports, opinions, brief communications, and reviews that explore the challenges faced by health systems in this rapidly evolving field.

Dr. Daniele Giansanti
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • eHealth
  • mHealth
  • assistive technologies
  • automated machines
  • care robots
  • artificial intelligence

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

5 pages, 225 KiB  
Editorial
Bridging the Gap: Exploring Opportunities, Challenges, and Problems in Integrating Assistive Technologies, Robotics, and Automated Machines into the Health Domain
by Daniele Giansanti
Healthcare 2023, 11(17), 2462; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11172462 - 04 Sep 2023
Viewed by 902
Abstract
The field of healthcare is continually evolving and advancing due to new technologies and innovations [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assistive Technologies, Robotics, and Automated Machines in the Health Domain: Second Edition)

Research

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13 pages, 1248 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Hands-on Usability of the Healthy Jeart App Specifically Tailored to Young Users
by Ana Maria Roldán-Ruiz, María-de-los-Ángeles Merino-Godoy, Antonio Peregrín-Rubio, Carmen Yot-Dominguez and Emília Isabel Martins Teixeira da Costa
Healthcare 2024, 12(3), 408; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12030408 - 05 Feb 2024
Viewed by 699
Abstract
Background: The widespread adoption of mobile devices by adolescents underscores the potential to harness these tools to instill healthy habits into their daily lives. An exemplary manifestation of this initiative is the Healthy Jeart app, crafted with the explicit goal of fostering well-being. [...] Read more.
Background: The widespread adoption of mobile devices by adolescents underscores the potential to harness these tools to instill healthy habits into their daily lives. An exemplary manifestation of this initiative is the Healthy Jeart app, crafted with the explicit goal of fostering well-being. Methodology: This study, framed within an applied investigation, adopts an exploratory and descriptive approach, specifically delving into the realm of user experience analysis. The focus of this research is a preliminary examination aimed at understanding users’ perceived usability of the application. To glean insights, a comprehensive questionnaire was administered to 101 teenagers, seeking their evaluations on various usability attributes. The study took place during 2022. Results: The findings reveal a considerable consensus among users regarding the evaluated usability aspects. However, the areas for improvement predominantly revolve around managing the information density, particularly for a subset of end users grappling with overwhelming content. Additionally, recommendations are put forth to streamline the confirmation process for user suggestions and comments. Conclusion: This analysis illuminates both the strengths of the app and areas ripe for refinement, paving the way for a more user-centric and efficacious Healthy Jeart application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assistive Technologies, Robotics, and Automated Machines in the Health Domain: Second Edition)
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10 pages, 250 KiB  
Article
The Quality of Telenursing—Israeli Nursing Staff’s Perceptions
by Keren Grinberg and Yael Sela
Healthcare 2023, 11(22), 2915; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11222915 - 07 Nov 2023
Viewed by 885
Abstract
Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased telemedicine and telenursing services worldwide, developed this innovative treatment’s potential, and emphasized its importance. The constraints imposed by the pandemic breached regulatory, psychological, and organizational obstructions among both patients and caretakers. Community and hospital [...] Read more.
Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased telemedicine and telenursing services worldwide, developed this innovative treatment’s potential, and emphasized its importance. The constraints imposed by the pandemic breached regulatory, psychological, and organizational obstructions among both patients and caretakers. Community and hospital nursing services were forced to deal with a new reality, to provide remote care solutions for bedridden chronic patients, as the need for this grew exponentially. Despite the increase of telemedicine in recent years, so far no research in Israel has investigated the nursing staff’s perceptions of the quality of the care provided through telenursing. Objective: To assess nurses’ perceptions of the quality of the care provided through telenursing compared to face-to-face nursing. Method: A quantitative cross-sectional study among 227 male and female nurses in Israel. The questionnaire included demographic questions, and the five measures of quality of care: concern and empathy for the patient, professional treatment, response to treatment, educated use of resources, and patients’ sense of security. Results: Significant differences were found between nurses’ perceptions of telenursing and face-to-face nursing. The quality of face-to-face nursing was perceived as more positive than that of telenursing, in general, as were the individual measures of care quality such as providing professional treatment, response to treatment, and patients’ sense of security. Conclusions: Although telemedicine has increased significantly in recent years, nursing staff still perceived the quality of care and follow-up of face-to-face nursing as more positive. It is important to continue to monitor nurses’ perceptions and attitudes towards the strengths of these two treatment methods, not only in crisis situations, but among wider populations, and to investigate the factors that could influence these perceptions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assistive Technologies, Robotics, and Automated Machines in the Health Domain: Second Edition)

Review

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13 pages, 756 KiB  
Review
Competencies in the Robotics of Care for Nursing Robotics: A Scoping Review
by Blanca Gonzalo de Diego, Alexandra González Aguña, Marta Fernández Batalla, Sara Herrero Jaén, Andrea Sierra Ortega, Roberto Barchino Plata, María Lourdes Jiménez Rodríguez and José María Santamaría García
Healthcare 2024, 12(6), 617; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12060617 - 08 Mar 2024
Viewed by 719
Abstract
In parallel with the development and design of different technological advances, competencies in nursing have advanced. With the development of robotics, it is expected that nursing robotic competencies will also increase. The aim of this study is to review the competencies in nursing [...] Read more.
In parallel with the development and design of different technological advances, competencies in nursing have advanced. With the development of robotics, it is expected that nursing robotic competencies will also increase. The aim of this study is to review the competencies in nursing robotics. A review was conducted between January 2017 and December 2023. The search strategy was carried out in the MEDLINE database (through PubMed). This review explores the developmental competencies in nursing robotics and informatics. The data extraction in this review included an intentional search for competencies and learning outcomes in engineering and robotic programs. A total of 340 competencies and program outcomes were reviewed. The synthesis of the data established a total of 17 developmental competencies in nursing robotics based on this knowledge extraction, which we organized into five categories: assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention (implementation) and evaluation. This review suggests that nursing robotic competencies for the development of care robotics are still scarce, and there is an opportunity for the development of competencies and the definition of new roles in the area of nursing informatics in order to adapt to the new health care demands of society. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assistive Technologies, Robotics, and Automated Machines in the Health Domain: Second Edition)
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21 pages, 1020 KiB  
Review
Advancing Dermatological Care: A Comprehensive Narrative Review of Tele-Dermatology and mHealth for Bridging Gaps and Expanding Opportunities beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Daniele Giansanti
Healthcare 2023, 11(13), 1911; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11131911 - 01 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2207
Abstract
Mobile health (mHealth) has recently had significant advances in tele-dermatology (TD) thanks to the developments following the COVID-19 pandemic. This topic is very important, as telemedicine and mHealth, when applied to dermatology, could improve both the quality of healthcare for citizens and the [...] Read more.
Mobile health (mHealth) has recently had significant advances in tele-dermatology (TD) thanks to the developments following the COVID-19 pandemic. This topic is very important, as telemedicine and mHealth, when applied to dermatology, could improve both the quality of healthcare for citizens and the workflow in the health domain. The proposed study was centered on the last three years. We conducted an overview on the opportunities, the perspectives, and the problems involved in TD integration with mHealth. The methodology of the narrative review was based on: (I) a search of PubMed and Scopus and (II) an eligibility assessment, using properly proposed parameters. The outcome of the study showed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, TD integration with mHealth advanced rapidly. This integration enabled the monitoring of dermatological problems and facilitated remote specialist visits, reducing face-to-face interactions. AI and mobile apps have empowered citizens to take an active role in their healthcare. This differs from other imaging sectors where information exchange is limited to professionals. The opportunities for TD in mHealth include improving service quality, streamlining healthcare processes, reducing costs, and providing more accessible care. It can be applied to various conditions, such as (but not limited to) acne, vitiligo, psoriasis, and skin cancers. Integration with AI and augmented reality (AR), as well as the use of wearable sensors, are anticipated as future developments. However, integrating TD with mHealth also brings about problems and challenges related to regulations, ethics, cybersecurity, data privacy, and device management. Scholars and policymakers need to address these issues while involving citizens in the process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assistive Technologies, Robotics, and Automated Machines in the Health Domain: Second Edition)
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