ABSTRACT
In this chapter, Jacqueline Reynolds Pearson and Tanya Nathalie Beran peer into the future, so to speak, as they demonstrate the playful (and very serious) utility of MEDi, a multifaceted programmable robot to ease children’s suffering and pain as they face a range of medical conditions and challenges. Given children’s enthusiasm for robots and knowing how medical experiences can be challenging and overwhelming for them, they describe their research that involves introducing a robot to help children during needle procedure, procedural support, conscious choice of alternate focus (historically referred to as ‘distraction’), preparation, and medical play—all the while empowering children and parents through learning coping strategies.
