It is well known that the presence of an illness and the associated treatment and lifestyle restrictions can have a variety of effects on the mental health of children and their families. In particular, the pain and suffering associated with illness and treatment, repeated fearful experiences, and prolonged hospitalization can become mental scars that have a negative impact on later mental development, so it is important to provide support and involvement to prevent the experience of medical treatment from becoming a mental trauma.

In this project, SONY aibo, a companion robot equipped with artificial intelligence (AI), is used to verify the effectiveness of distraction in painful treatment situations and to examine whether AI robots can help prevent mental trauma in children and their families. We are also examining the effects of playtime with aibo on children’s mental development, such as emotional interaction with others, social skills, and autonomy, and are considering ways to support children’s mental development during hospitalization. Furthermore, we aim to develop an AI robot suitable for the pediatric care environment that reflects the ideas and opinions of the children themselves.