CHARGE

Welcome to the CHARGE project!

Come on an interactive journey and tell us if robots could help kids and families at the hospital.

About the CHARGE Project

CHARGE is an interactive journey for you to participate in during your stay at BC Children's Hospital.

Follow Spark the robot, on its first day at the hospital. Together you will visit different parts of the hospital and meet lots of robots along the way! The robots will ask you about what you think robots could do for kids and families to help make their time at the hospital better.

It takes about 10 minutes to complete and is anonymous. Adults can help out too, if you’d like!

Your answers will help researchers and managers make important decisions about using hospital robots in the future. They want to hear what you think about questions like: Is it ok to use robots in the hospital? What should robots do and not do? How could a robot improve the hospital experience for kids and families?

The CHARGE project is being led by researchers at the University of British Columbia and supported by the BC Children's Hospital Foundation.
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*CHARGE stands for Creating a Hospital based Adventure Robot Game Experience.“

Meet the Robots

Spark Hello-bot Pet-bot Med-bot Comfort-bot

Spark

Spark is the main character in the CHARGE project, and it will take you on a journey to meet its robot friends!

Hello-bot

Pet-bot

Med-bot

Comfort-bot

Spark

Spark is here to provide companionship, assist with medication reminders, and even help with simple exercises. Experience a new level of care with our robotic friend!

Hello-bot

Hello-bot is a friendly, humanoid robot welcoming everyone at the hospital lobby! It can answer visitor’s questions and help them find their way around. Hello-bot is always ready to help and make new friends.

Pet-bot

Meet Pet-bot, the adorable pet-sized robot who keeps everyone company while they wait! Pet-bot loves to play games and share fun activities, as well as to share important information about what to expect next. Pet-bot is always there to make waiting more fun and less scary.

Med-bot

Say hello to Med-bot, the friendly robot who works in the clinic room to support patient every step of the way. He explains what will happen during medical procedures with animation, offers relaxing breathing exercises, and even measures patient’s vitals with permission.

Comfort-bot

Comfort-bot is a companion robot for long hospital stays. It is soft and snugly, perfect for hugs. Comfort-bot can help patients connect with friends and family, lead them through relaxing activities, and teach them new things

Spark's Journey Around the Hospital

Frequently Asked Questions

We value your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. Here’s are some questions that you might have.

What information is collected?

We only collect information that is necessary for the CHARGE survey. This includes demographics questions, responses to the questions about robots, and any additional feedback you choose to provide.

How will the results of the CHARGE survey be used?

The information collected from this survey will be anonymized and used only for the purpose of improving our services at BC Children’s Hospital. We will analyze the data to understand the future design and use of social robots. Your responses are confidential. We will not share your personal information with any third parties. Our final, aggregated results will be shared with the public and people working in healthcare using outlets like presentations and published articles.

Who is in charge of the CHARGE project?

The project is being conducted by researchers at the Neuroscience, Engagement and Smart Technology (NEST) Lab at the University of British Columbia. The Principal Investigator at the NEST lab is Dr Julie Robillard. The project is generously supported by the BC Children's Hospital Foundation. The interactive robot journey has been developed in collaboration with the BC Children's Hospital Digital Lab.

What if I have more questions?

Contact details - Principal Investigator Julie Robillard at jrobilla@ubc.ca