NAO Robot in Pediatric Occupational Therapy

NCT07283211 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: E-10840098-772.02-30123E355
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 15
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a non-progressive neurological disorder that affects movement and posture, often impairing upper extremity function and daily activity performance. Technological tools, such as social robots, have shown promise in supporting rehabilitation. This study investigated the effects of NAO robot-assisted therapy on functional performance, motivation, and emotional states in children with unilateral CP. Sixteen children participated in a 14-week intervention, which included 12 weeks of task-oriented therapy. In six of those weeks, sessions incorporated the NAO robot, which simulated three daily activities identified using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and offered motivational feedback. Emotional responses were tracked using the Empatica E4 wristband, measuring blood volume pulse (BVP), electrodermal activity (EDA), and skin temperature (ST).

Conditions

Activities of Daily Living; Cerebral Palsy (CP)

Keywords

occupational therapy; cerebral palsy; social robots

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST)

  20 minutes

• Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI)

  10 minutes

• Bimanual Fine Motor Function

  10 minutes

• Canadian Occupational Performance Measure

  10 minutes

Study Arms (1)

Single Group - Occupational Therapy With and Without Social Robot Support

EXPERIMENTAL

This single-group arm includes all participants, who receive two sequential phases of occupational therapy. In Phase 1, children receive routine occupational therapy sessions delivered by a licensed occupational therapist. After a 2-week interval, participants enter Phase 2, during which they receive the same occupational therapy activities supplemented with robot-assisted interaction using the NAO humanoid robot. All participants experience both phases in the same order, and no randomization or group allocation is performed.

Other: Occupational Therapy Intervention; Other: NAO Robot-Assisted Occupational Therapy

Interventions

Occupational Therapy Intervention OTHER

Routine Occupational Therapy. Participants receive standard occupational therapy sessions delivered by a licensed pediatric occupational therapist. Sessions include individualized therapeutic activities targeting fine motor skills, bilateral coordination, sensory processing, activities of daily living (ADL) training, and play-based functional tasks.

Single Group - Occupational Therapy With and Without Social Robot Support

NAO Robot-Assisted Occupational Therapy OTHER

NAO Robot-Assisted Occupational Therapy. Participants receive the same core occupational therapy program as in Phase 1, supplemented with robot-mediated interaction using the NAO humanoid robot (SoftBank Robotics).

Single Group - Occupational Therapy With and Without Social Robot Support

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 5 Years - 15 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Children aged 5-15 years
• Diagnosis of unilateral spastic cerebral palsy
• Classified as Level I-III according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS)
• Classified as Level 1-3 on the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS)
• Level 0-2 on the Modified Ashworth Scale, indicating mild to moderate spasticity

You may not qualify if:

• History of upper extremity orthopedic surgery within the past year
• Presence of epileptic symptoms
• Receipt of botulinum toxin treatment within the last six months

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Yeditepe University: collaborator
• Ankara Medipol University: lead
• Medipol University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Ankara Medipol University

Altindağ, Ankara, 06050, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain Damage, Chronic; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SEQUENTIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: LECTURER

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 2, 2025
• First Posted: December 15, 2025
• Study Start: January 2, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 2, 2024
• Study Completion: June 2, 2025
• Last Updated: January 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)