IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - March 2021 - 87

the San Juan de Dios Hospital. They are now completing 20
weeks of work based on their initiation into assistance services. A specific Mental Health Care Through the Use of Robotics protocol has been created, providing a theoretical/practical
framework for the correct use of robots in mental health
areas. It includes aspects such as
1) procedures for handling, transporting, and operating
the robot
2) inclusion and exclusion criteria for patients to be treated
using the robot
3) ethical and legal aspects of care and telecare
4) aspects of data confidentiality
5) interaction protocols among participants
6) cleaning and disinfection procedures used for the robot.
This protocol, approved by the hospital infection committees
and the corresponding clinical service heads, has been used
to date without encountering any inconveniences in providing robot-assisted care.
The preliminary results of mental health care have been
compiled through nonparticipatory observation, participatory
observation, field notes, structured interviews with patients and
health-care workers, and anecdotal records of the clinical work
carried out with Pudu and its interaction with patients and
health-care workers.
The care given was provided by psychointensive practitioners (one), neuropsychologists (one), clinical psychologists (two), neurologists (one), spiritual assistants
(one), and communication facilitators through telecare
and telepresence (two). All of these types of care were
carried out through Pudu's operating modalities, both
directly by the professional in charge of the care, as has
been the case in psychointensivism and clinical psychology at the Clinical Hospital of the University of Chile, and
through a remote teleoperator that enabled functionality
and remote connections among professionals, families,
and patients, as is the case at the San Juan de Dios Hospital. These two forms of remote control in Pudu were conducted by adapting the functionality and ease of
operation to the realities of both health facilities. The
attention format is carried out through the tablet located
at Pudu's upper end, using available meeting and video
calling platforms, such as Zoom and WhatsApp, that are
end-to-end encrypted, thus protecting the confidentiality
of the communications.
A summary of observations by professionals is as follows:
● Pudu has shown an excellent capacity to move across
the areas of intensive and intermediate care in both
hospitals. It has an easy approach to the patients' beds,
and the patients are completely visible because the
inclination of the screen that supports the interaction
with the patient can be modified remotely. The distances Pudu has been able to navigate in between the teleoperator and the patient have been from 5 to 30 m,
without complications and with visibility, operability,
and adequate maintenance of the work network. In
addition, the built-in microphone and speaker act as

communication facilitators to ensure that the patient
and the psychointensivist can hear adequately. It should
be noted that, since it began its duties, Pudu has not
had any setbacks in movement because it manages to
brake or stop when approaching obstacles or when
health workers cross its path. It has been able to overcome difficult obstacles in relation to the ventilation

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)
Figure 5. (a)-(e) The current operation of Pudu inside the
Clinical Hospital of the University of Chile.

MARCH 2021

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IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

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IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - March 2021

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