Object of the workshop

When developing assistive robots to provide physical support to users with disabilities, it is important to consider not only improving motor performance but also providing support from a psychological perspective. However, discussions on assistive robots at conventional IROS/ICRA conferences have often focused on motor performance, neglecting subjective aspects such as motivation enhancement and maintenance, psychological barriers to continued use, and reluctance to use in rehabilitation applications. Considering this situation, this workshop aims to provide a platform for discussing the integration of physical support strategies and psychological/cognitive support strategies and to explore new approaches to assistive robotics. The workshop aims to foster interdisciplinary discussions by inviting Invited Speakers from a wide range of fields engaged in cutting-edge research and development, including researchers in physical support related to mechanical design and adaptive control strategies, psychologists and cognitive scientists considering the psychological aspects of user experience, therapists using assistive robots in clinical settings, and engineers developing assistive systems in the industry. Additionally, a platform for presenting the latest research findings, primarily through poster presentations, will be provided to facilitate the exchange of ideas and open discussions among Invited Speakers, presenters, and participants, thereby encouraging the exploration of new research directions and fostering opportunities for collaborative research initiatives.

We invite contributions in the following topics that are indicative but by no means exhaustive:

• Rehabilitation Robotics

• Human-robot collaboration

• Exoskeleton robot

• Ergonomics

• Rehabilitation Systems based on VR/AR/MR

• Clinical Psychology

• Estimation of subjective feeling

• Positive Psychology