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Canada-UK AI Study

Social Robots for Procedural Distress

Children experience pain and distress in clinical settings every day. The negative consequences of unaddressed pain can be both short-term (e.g. fear, distress, inability to perform procedures) and long-term (e.g. needle phobia, anxiety).

In previous small studies, a humanoid robot has been used to deliver cognitive-behavioural therapy during needle procedures. The results of these early studies have been positive, showing high acceptance among children as well as promising initial clinical results. However, these studies all had critical technical limitations: the robot was remotely operated and used purely scripted behaviour with limited Artificial Intelligence support. This reduced the potential to offer personalized support to children. In this project, the study team aims to address this limitation by developing and evaluating a clinically relevant and responsive artificial intelligence-enhanced social robot.

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Participation Requirements

  • Sex:

    ALL

  • Eligible Ages:

    5 to 11

Participation Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. child aged 5-11 years
2. requires IVI
3. will receive topical anesthetic for IVI

Exclusion Criteria:

1. medically unstable (CTAS 1, requiring immediate IV insertion)
2. unconscious or not fully alert
3. visual or auditory impairments
4. neurocognitive delays or mental health issues precluding safe interaction with the robot intervention
5. sensory impairment to pain (ex. spina bifida)
6. parental or child language barrier precluding the ability to understand and complete study assessments, in the absence of a native language translator
7. not accompanied by legal guardian
8. previous enrolment in this clinical trial or in the co-design or usability studies
9. other reason at the discretion of the clinical staff

Study Location

Stollery Children's Hospital
Stollery Children's Hospital
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

Contact Study Team

Primary Contact

Patricia Candelaria, RN, BScN

[email protected]
The Hospital for Sick Children
The Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Ontario
Canada

Contact Study Team

Primary Contact

Kate Kim

[email protected]
Study Sponsored By
University of Alberta
Participants Required
More Information
Study ID: NCT06556329