Interactive Robots and AI for Healthcare 

Interactive robotics and AI in healthcare have transformed medical practices and patient support, offering opportunities to enhance healthcare delivery and outcomes. This workshop explores advancements, challenges, and future directions in interactive robotics and AI across medical and caregiving domains, evaluating their benefits in revolutionising health and medicine. The workshop will multi-disciplinarily dissect how interactive robotics and AI revolutionise treatment, rehabilitation, coaching, social assistance, and caregiving processes. It will spotlight ground-breaking innovations such as interactive surgical robots, physically assistive robots, empathetic healthcare assistants, AI-driven coaching platforms for mental health, and social robots for companionship and support. Key themes to be explored encompass the cutting-edge technologies underpinning interactive robotics and AI in healthcare, including advanced machine learning algorithms, natural language processing, affective computing, intelligent user interfaces and robot motion, and their application featuring user studies and design methodologies. We will unravel the transformative potential of these technologies in fostering personalised care, enhancing patient engagement, and optimising treatment outcomes. Moreover, the workshop will scrutinise ethical considerations, privacy safeguards, and regulatory frameworks intrinsic to deploying interactive tools in healthcare settings. Delving into the societal implications, we will analyse the impact on patient autonomy, healthcare equity, and the evolving roles of healthcare professionals in this technological landscape. The workshop aims to catalyse cross-sector collaborations among researchers, clinicians, engineers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders by featuring expert presentations, interactive panel discussions, live demonstrations, and networking sessions.