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ALTER-EGO, the robotic platform created by the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the University of Pisa, is a significant step in integrating humanoid robotics into daily clinical practice. ALTER-EGO is currently being tested in a pilot clinical trial at the Maugeri Hospital in Milan. The goal is to assess the integration of humanoid assistive robots into care pathways for patients with neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), in both hospital and home settings. ALTER-EGO is a humanoid robot that stands about 120 cm tall and walks on two wheels. It can be operated remotely by an operator or in autonomous and semi-autonomous modes. It has two arms made of flexible modules with varying stiffness that operate as artificial muscles, enabling for adaptive and safe movements. ALTER-EGO interfaces with its surroundings via SoftHand poly-articulated robotic hands, which are capable of gripping and passing objects, as well as opening handles, thanks to the use of Soft Robotics concepts. These qualities enable ALTER-EGO to interact securely and carefully with vulnerable individuals and complex situations like hospital wards. The robot is thus well adapted to assisting clinical staff with care activities and assisting patients with daily duties. The easy interface promotes natural interactions and enables healthcare workers to delegate repetitive, time-consuming chores to ALTER-EGO, freeing up resources for jobs that need specialized or interpersonal skills that robots cannot duplicate. The platform's goal is to enhance clinical workflows and improve the quality of care in neurodegenerative disorders like ALS. The areas of use were determined in direct consultation with healthcare specialists. In telepresence mode, ALTER-EGO serves as a clinician's avatar. They can view through the robot's camera-like eyes and use its hands and voice to accomplish tasks such as remote follow-up visits. These activities are typical of the home phase, where direct contact with healthcare staff is more difficult to ensure. In semi-autonomous or autonomous mode, however, ALTER-EGO can perform repetitive, everyday tasks such as welcoming and orienting patients in the hospital, providing basic information and services, administering simple assessment scales (such as the VAS for pain), and accompanying patients through various daily activities within the facility.
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