When you think of the Wizard of Oz or The Whiz, what comes to mind? It may be a safe bet that what doesn't jump to the fore is the design of socially assistive robotics. Yet that is the name of the technique being used to in the design and testing of SAR. 

As socially assistive robotics rapidly integrates into elder care and educational environments, it is important to understand the concepts of dignity-first, engineering, and design. It is a rapidly evolving, multidisciplinary field with serious implications for individual autonomy and identity.

The landscape of Socially Assistive Robotics is broad. Work is being done to advance the field of Human-Robotic interaction (HRI) in almost every corner of the world and right in our own backyards. With programs in China, Japan, the EU, and right here in the US at Arizona State University, the University of Washington, MIT, and the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, it is critically important to know who is doing what? 

While a considerable amount of attention is paid to formal care settings such as residential programs, long-term care facilities, and rehabilitation sites, the lion's share of caregiving for the aging, the vulnerable, and those with physical and developmental distinctions is provided in the home by family caregivers, both paid and unpaid. What's their take on SARs?

Complimentary extra hands, a boon for the workforce shortage, privacy concerns, cost benefit comparisons, all are concerns expressed by healthcare professionals in the long term care field, where SARs are making a first impression

How do end users feel about socially Assistive Robotics meeting their needs? How would you feel if a robot helped you with your activities of daily living or directed your daily exercise plan or keep you company while you watched TV?