A Robot-Mediated Activity Using the Nao Robot to Promote COVID-19 Precautionary Measures among Older Adults in Geriatric Facilities

Precautionary measures (e.g., social distancing, mask wearing, washing hands regularly) to limit the transmission of the Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) have been put in place worldwide. However, a limited understanding of precautionary measures and low compliance with them has been observed in older adults with neurocognitive disorders, persons with intellectual disability, or mental illness. The objective of this study is to create and evaluate a robot-mediated activity to deliver information on COVID-19 precautionary measures in an accessible and engaging way using the humanoid robot Nao. An interactive scenario explaining and demonstrating COVID-19 precautionary measures is created using the verbal and non-verbal behaviours of the robot. The scenario (≈5 min) is presented to 124 users of a geriatric hospital, including the following: older patients (n = 45), accompanying persons (n = 39), and health professionals (n = 40). The data regarding perceived usefulness, acceptability, and accessibility are collected using a questionnaire. A video analysis of the participants’ behaviour during the interaction with the robot is performed to examine the quality of engagement in the activity. The results show a good acceptance, satisfaction, and perceived usefulness of the robot-mediated activity. These findings suggest that robot-mediated interventions using humanoid robots can be an effective tool for the delivery of health promotion information.