Designing Healthcare Robots with the People Who Use Them

An approach developed by Cornell Tech researchers and presented at ACM CHI 2026 involves healthcare workers, patients, residents, artists, and engineers directly in the design of healthcare robots. Over 14 weeks, 22 participants collaborated in Cornell Tech’s MakerLAB to create full-scale robot prototypes for hospitals, sleep clinics, and rehabilitation centers. Designs included a bear-shaped robot delivering medical kits, a calming concierge robot for sleep clinics, and a social companion robot for long-term care residents.