When Robin the Robot rolled down the halls of UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center to greet 6-year-old leukemia patient Luca, his mother, Meagan Brazil-Sheehan, immediately noticed the impact.
“His face lit up,” she recalled. “It was so special because she remembered him.”
Standing four feet tall with cartoonlike facial features displayed on a screen, Robin is designed to resemble a child’s playmate. The AI-powered therapeutic robot provides emotional support in pediatric units and nursing homes, helping fill gaps created by staff shortages while offering patients comfort and connection.
From pilot program to 30 U.S. healthcare facilities
Developed by Expper Technologies, Robin launched in the U.S. five years ago and now operates in 30 facilities across California, Massachusetts, New York, and Indiana.
“Nurses and medical staff are overworked and under pressure,” said Expper CEO Karen Khachikyan. “Robin helps alleviate part of that by engaging with patients.”
At HealthBridge Children’s Hospital in Orange County, California, Robin remembers patients’ names and favorite songs, plays games, mirrors emotions, and even offers hugs through its triangular-shaped frame.
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Emotional intelligence as a care tool
Robin is roughly 30% autonomous, with operators remotely guiding most interactions under staff supervision. Each encounter generates data, enabling developers to improve its emotional intelligence while maintaining HIPAA compliance.
Khachikyan compares the goal to creating “a pure emotional intelligence like WALL-E,” referencing the Pixar film.
Patients and staff describe the robot as a source of joy. Samantha da Silva, a speech language pathologist, noted: “She brings joy to everyone. When Robin walks the halls, everyone loves to chat with her.”
Beyond companionship: the future of Robin
While Robin currently plays games, sings songs, and comforts patients, its roadmap is far more ambitious. Future iterations aim to measure vital signs, report to medical teams, and assist elderly patients with mobility, dressing, and bathroom routines.
“Our goal is to design the next evolution of Robin, taking on more responsibilities and becoming an essential part of care delivery,” Khachikyan said. He stressed that the intent is not to replace staff, but to fill gaps in a healthcare system projected to face a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians within the next decade, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Designed by patients, for patients
Robin’s personality has evolved through real-world feedback. Developers discovered that children found it funniest when the robot claimed its favorite animal was a chicken — a detail that stuck.
“Robin’s personality was shaped by users themselves,” Khachikyan said.
Initially tested in Armenia and piloted in 2020 at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, Robin is now a growing presence in U.S. healthcare facilities, offering companionship that blends playfulness with empathy.
For families like Brazil-Sheehan’s, that companionship can make a difficult hospital stay a little more bearable.
