Robot programmed to act as a 7-year-old girl provides emotional support in U.S. hospitals

A robot programmed to act like a 7-year-old girl is being used to comfort pediatric patients in hospitals and nursing homes, a development that reflects the expanding role of artificial intelligence in health care. The robot, named Robin, is designed to mirror emotions and engage with patients to ease fear, loneliness and anxiety during medical visits and treatment.

Robin stands about 4 feet tall (1.2 meters) and features a large screen on its torso that displays cartoonlike expressions. Since its U.S. debut about five years ago, the AI-powered device has become a familiar face in 30 health care facilities across California, Massachusetts, New York and Indiana. Its developers say the robot helps fill gaps created by staffing shortages while supporting clinicians and child life specialists who routinely work to calm anxious patients and explain procedures.

Robin is about 30% autonomous, with a team of remote operators guiding the rest under the watchful eyes of clinical staff. Each interaction contributes to a growing data pool, the company says, while remaining within HIPAA safeguards. Karen Khachikyan, chief executive of Expper Technologies, which developed the robot, said the aim is not to replace human workers but to extend their reach by handling routine engagement and emotional support tasks.

"Nurses and medical staff are really overworked, under a lot of pressure, and unfortunately, a lot of times they don’t have capacity to provide engagement and connection to patients," Khachikyan said. "Robin helps to alleviate that part from them." He described the project as a step toward a future where the robot could monitor vitals and assist clinicians with basic checks, all while maintaining a human-centered approach to care.

In one recent demonstration at HealthBridge Children’s Hospital in Orange County, California, a staff member pulled up a patient list and allocated Robin to visit several kids with specified time allotments. The robot rolled into a room with a teenager recovering from a car accident, then played the patient’s favorite song—"No Fear" by DeJ Loaf—and danced along. In another room, Robin used a set of silly glasses and a big red nose to elicit smiles from a younger child. A third patient enjoyed a simple game of tic-tac-toe the robot helped run.

Samantha da Silva, a speech-language pathologist at HealthBridge, said patients light up when Robin enters a room, noting that the robot not only remembers patient names but also their preferred music. "She brings joy to everyone," da Silva said. "She walks down the halls, everyone loves to chat with her, say hello." The robot mirrors the emotions of the person it is interacting with; if a patient laughs, the robot laughs along, and if someone shares something difficult, its face reflects empathy.

In nursing homes, Robin has been used to run memory-based activities for people with dementia, guide breathing exercises on stressful days, and provide companionship that can resemble a grandchild engaging a grandparent. Khachikyan recalled a moment last year at a Los Angeles facility when a woman experiencing a panic attack asked for the robot specifically; Robin responded with songs from the patient’s favorite musician and videos of her favorite animal—Elvis Presley and puppies—until she calmed down.

Experts say the more ambitious goals for Robin involve expanding its role beyond emotional support. Khachikyan indicated that the team is exploring capabilities to measure vitals and share updates with medical teams, bringing data-driven insights into routine care. Longer-term plans include features to assist elderly patients with daily activities, such as changing clothes and using the bathroom. "Our goal is to design the next evolution of Robin; that Robin will take more and more responsibilities and become even more essential part of care delivery," he said. He added that the intent is to complement, not replace, human workers who are essential to patient care.

The expansion of Robin comes amid concerns about AI in health care. While advocates emphasize the efficiency and emotional support the robot can provide, some worry about potential impacts on patient interactions and the quality of care if machines take on too many tasks. Proponents, however, point to the ability to reduce strain on overburdened staff and to increase opportunities for patients to receive individualized attention, especially in high-stress environments like pediatric wards.

Robin’s development traces to Khachikyan’s Ph.D. research in Armenia, where growing up in a single-parent household inspired him to create a robot that could act as a friend. After prototyping in various industries, an investor suggested pediatric hospitals as a strong fit because of the loneliness and stress that many children experience in medical settings. The robot first found a home at an Armenian pediatric hospital, then entered a UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital pilot in 2020. Since its inception, Robin’s personality has evolved in response to patient feedback; for example, the team settled on a dog- or chicken-themed answer to the question of Robin’s favorite animal after observing children react most positively to the chicken option.

"Robin was designed by users," Khachikyan said, highlighting how ongoing input from patients and clinicians has shaped its behavior and responses. Over time, the robot’s ability to connect on an emotional level has become a central feature of its appeal, according to hospital staff and families who have encountered it during difficult moments in treatment. As AI technologies continue to permeate care settings, Robin’s trajectory illustrates both the promise and the scrutiny that accompanies new tools aimed at supporting human care teams.

Associated Press journalist Damian Dovarganes contributed to this report.