Researchers at NUI Galway have created a social robot that aims to improve communication between families and young patients in hospital.
The team from NUIG's CÚRAM centre, supported by global technology company Cisco, are launching the CARE CONNECT project that will see the social robot used alongside a video-conferencing platform to improve patient-family communications in Paediatrics.
Nicknamed "SuperMario" by paediatric patients, the platform provides support to critical care settings, end-of-life situations, and vulnerable patients that rely on families for support.
During the first wave of Covid-19, a bespoke video-conferencing platform called 'ICU FamilyLink' was successfully implemented at University Hospital Galway to connect patients in critical care to their loved ones.
Professor Derek O' Keefe from CÚRAM says at present, a patient can only have one person with them for support.
But the new social robot would allow the entire family to be present and interact with both patient and healthcare staff - for more, tune in to FYI Galway@5
