SAR4SLPs: An Asynchronous Survey of Speech-Language Pathologists' Perspectives on Socially Assistive Robots

TL;DR

This paper investigates how socially assistive robots (SARs) can augment speech-language pathology (SLP) practice in the context of workforce shortages and high caseloads. Using an asynchronous remote community (ARC) with practicing SLPs in Nevada, the study collects clinician insights on engagement, nonverbal expressiveness, and domain-specific design requirements for SARs across four weeks. Key findings show that SLPs view SARs as promising motivators, companions, and practice partners, while emphasizing that robots should augment rather than replace clinicians and must support accurate articulation, language, and social communication tasks through expressive, personalized, and data-capable functionality. The work provides practitioner-informed design implications and highlights the need for human-centered co-design and further validation with diverse settings and client populations to realize SARs’ practical impact in SLP contexts.

Abstract

Socially Assistive Robots (SARs) offer unique opportunities within speech language pathology (SLP) education and practice by supporting interactive interventions for children with communication disorders. This paper explores the implementation of SAR4SLPs (Socially Assistive Robots for Speech-Language Pathologists) to investigate aspects such as engagement, therapeutic strategy discipline, and consistent intervention support. We assessed the current application of technology to clinical and educational settings, especially with respect to how SLPs might use SAR in their therapeutic work. An asynchronous remote community (ARC) collaborated with a cohort of practicing SLPs to consider the feasibility, potential effectiveness, and anticipated challenges with implementing SARs in day-to-day interventions and as practice facilitators. We focus in particular on the expressive functionality of SARs, modeling a foundational strategy that SLPs employ across various intervention targets. This paper highlights clinician-driven insights and design implications for developing SARs that support specific treatment goals through collaborative and iterative design.

Figures (1)

• Figure 1: Using an existing embodiment solution like the Misty II mistyrobotics, we can map the main themes that participants considered when reflecting on possible functional requirements for SARs in clinical spaces.