JAMA+ AI Conversations From the JAMA Network: Socially Assistive Robots, Part 2
Aug 5, 2025
Maja Matarić, a pioneering computer scientist and professor at USC, shares her expertise in socially assistive robotics. She highlights how AI is transforming therapy for autism, depression, and more. The importance of robots like Blossom is discussed, emphasizing their ability to facilitate dynamic human-robot interactions. Maja also touches on the impact of physical presence against isolation, especially during the pandemic, and envisions a future where affordable robots combat loneliness at home, enhancing well-being for all.
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AI Transforms Robot Interaction
- The integration of AI has accelerated socially assistive robotics, enabling natural, generative dialogue with robots.
- This advancement removes the previous limits of pre-programmed dialogue trees, vastly improving robot engagement.
Soft Robots for Health Support
- Soft, low-cost robots like Blossom use 3D printed parts and crocheted exteriors to create lifelike touchable interactions.
- These robots are intentionally non-humanoid, focusing on safety, affordability, and warmth for health applications.
Robots Enhance Therapy Effectiveness
- A two-week study with college students showed only robot-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy significantly reduced psychiatric distress.
- Despite engaging dialogue, chatbot interactions did not produce clinical benefits unlike the robot.