From Components to Caring: The Development Trajectory of a Socially Therapeutic Assistive Robot (STAR) Named Therabot™

Abstract

Designing a socially therapeutic assistive robot (STAR) for use in mental healthcare is an emerging interdisciplinary process, for which there is a lack of comprehensive guidance and standards. This paper provides insight into the design and development process of the socially therapeutic assistive robotic dog, Therabot™. By outlining the project’s eleven-year history, exploring a snapshot of its current state, and discussing its trajectories we aim to share a useful glimpse into the processes that guide the creation of a STAR.