Robots are transforming industries with precision and efficiency, and now they are making waves in healthcare. Honda recently unveiled Haru, a 12-inch AI-powered robot, at Virgen del Rocío University Hospital (HUVR) in Seville, Spain, to support children undergoing long-term hospital stays.
Developed by Honda Research Institute Japan (HRI-JP), Haru aims to enhance emotional well-being through expressive communication. Compact and desk-top friendly, Haru engages users by analyzing their emotional state via facial expressions and voice tones captured by its camera and microphones. Its empathetic interactions are further refined with data from wearable sensors, offering tailored support.
Haru’s gender-neutral, race-neutral, and nationality-neutral design enables it to foster communication across generational and cultural boundaries. This unique capability has been leveraged at HUVR, where Haru assists neuropsychologists in conducting emotional and cognitive assessments for children with cancer.
Before Haru’s integration, annual assessments were limited to 510. Haru’s efficiency is set to increase this number to 4,500, drastically reducing the workload on healthcare professionals. Beyond assessments, Haru supports rehabilitation programs, guiding children through exercises while engaging them in conversation. Notably, 95% of children responded more positively to Haru’s guidance compared to human-led sessions.
HUVR highlights Haru’s groundbreaking contribution to psychological care. Unlike traditional medical technologies focusing solely on physical health, Haru creates a positive emotional atmosphere, helping young patients feel connected and joyful.
“We’ve achieved remarkable results with Haru, identifying its potential to bring happiness to children,” HUVR stated. By blending AI and empathy, Haru demonstrates the power of technology to improve not only medical outcomes but also the quality of life for young patients, revolutionizing pediatric care.
Haru symbolizes a promising future where robots enhance human well-being, showing that healthcare innovation can be as compassionate as it is advanced.