Clinicians� Perspectives on Safety, Ethical, and Legal Considerations for Home-Based Physical Rehabilitation Robots
VIGNESH VELMURUGAN, Patrick Holthaus, Farshid Amirabdollahian, Mauro Dragone
AI summary
Problem
Despite technological advances, home-based rehabilitation robots face limited real-world adoption due to unresolved safety, legal, and ethical concerns that are often overlooked in technical research.
Approach
A qualitative workshop and questionnaire with 11 experienced neurorehabilitation clinicians were analyzed thematically to identify key challenges and requirements for safe and ethical deployment.
Key results
- Risk of physical injury from device malfunction or improper use
- Ambiguity in legal liability and maintenance responsibility
- Critical need for data privacy safeguards and transparency
- Significant barriers to equitable access due to cost and infrastructure
Why it matters
Provides clinicians' essential insights to guide developers, policymakers, and regulators in creating safe, accessible, and legally compliant home-based rehabilitation technologies.
Abstract
The growing demand for neurorehabilitation is driv- ing the development of innovative, home-based robotic solutions, offering a promising approach to alleviate the strain on health- care systems burdened by limited resources and workforce short- ages. Despite significant technological advancements in rehabili- tation robotics, adoption remains limited due to unresolved safety, legal, and ethical concerns. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of these three aspects from the perspective of experienced neurorehabilitation clinicians, offering valuable insights into the challenges surrounding home-based rehabilitation robots. Using a qualitative approach, we identified eight key themes derived from clinicians’ feedback. These themes underscore critical areas, including the need for robust safety measures, regulatory clarity on liability and data privacy, and the ethical imperative of ensur- ing equitable access to technology for diverse user populations. Our findings highlight the need for a multifaceted approach to overcome these challenges, including user-centred design, rigorous testing, comprehensive user training, and necessary updates to regulatory frameworks to ensure the safe, effective, and equitable deployment of these technologies.