Feasibility study of the development of a verbally interactive back care robot

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Chronic back pain (CBP) is common and the pain it causes can be a great burden on people's lives as the condition can cause reduction in their mobility and independent living. A crucial component of the management of CBP in clinical settings is verbal interaction between physiotherapists and their patients. Both parties take part in a conversation related to the back problems presented by the patient. The clinician begins by assessing the cause of the symptoms and devises a treatment plan to treat them. After treatment, physiotherapists carry out regular assessments to evaluate the effects of the treatment, including pain reduction and mobility improvements in the affected areas. Although some existing back therapy devices on the market offer treatment benefits, none of them offer the conversational interaction between clinician and patient during a consultation. As a result, the treatment offered to their users consists of a set of standard programmes, lacking any interaction or personalised approach. We are developing an innovative software system that enables the user and the back therapy robot to interact in a verbal physiotherapy consultation, offering users highly personalised therapy in the comfort of their own home. This innovation will be a game changer in the back care industry and create a global leader in the management of CBP and in digital health, based in the UK.