TARA: A Communication Robot for Patient Support in Emergency Department Waiting Areas

This paper describes the prototypical design and initial experiences with a communication and information robot in a clinical setting. TARA (Talking Autonomous Reception Assistant) assists patients and accompanying persons in an emergency department's waiting area with registration, general inquiries, and non-medical questions. The cost-efficient system was built on standard platforms using open modules. We presented TARA at two trade fairs and conducted two one-week clinical trials. While feedback from the healthcare professionals was remarkably positive, patients may require time to become familiar with robotic assistants in order to fully recognize their benefits.