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Public Healthcare: AI and Robotics to Empower Medical Tools and Patient Wellbeing

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Care Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 1499

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Computing, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NZ, UK
Interests: artificial intelligence; machine learning; medical imaging; digital healthcare; social robots in healthcare; assistive robotics; cognitive systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Institute of Computing and High-Performance Networks, Department of Engineering, ICT and Technology for Energy and Transport, National Research Council (CNR), Naples, Italy
Interests: artificial intelligence; decision support systems; natural language processing and knowledge engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the healthcare industry has witnessed a remarkable transformation with research on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics. These cutting-edge technologies have revolutionised how medical tools are developed and utilised, enhancing patient well-being and healthcare outcomes. These cutting-edge technologies are propelling the field forward and spearheading a new era characterized by precision medicine and personalized care.

The integration of AI and smart devices in healthcare is not only transforming the way medical professionals deliver care but also empowering patients. By leveraging wearable devices and home monitoring systems, individuals can actively participate in their own healthcare management, monitoring vital signs, tracking medication adherence, and promoting preventive measures. This shift toward patient-centred care fosters a proactive approach to well-being and empowers individuals to take charge of their health.

A recent trend is the exploration of how the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) can work alongside Natural Language Processing and other AI-based approaches to surface capabilities allowing robots to learn from a breadth of human knowledge and allowing people to engage with robots more naturally. LLMs possess an impressive capability to encode descriptions and context in a manner that is understandable to both humans and machines. In robotics, LLMs offer the advantage of facilitating the assignment of tasks to robots through natural language queries. By integrating vision models and robotics learning techniques, LLMs empower robots to grasp the context of a person's request and determine the necessary actions required to fulfil it.

Finally, the convergence of AI and Robotics in healthcare represents a remarkable leap forward in medical technology. From improved diagnostics to robotic-assisted surgeries and enhanced patient engagement, these advancements hold the potential to revolutionize healthcare delivery, leading to more efficient, precise, and patient-centred care. As these technologies continue to evolve, we can anticipate further transformative impacts on the medical field, ultimately improving patients' overall well-being and quality of life worldwide.

Dr. Giovanni Luca Masala
Dr. Massimo Esposito
Dr. Aniello Minutolo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • assistive AI technology
  • robots
  • conversational agents
  • natural language processing
  • language models
  • question answering
  • diagnostic techniques
  • ageing
  • patient monitoring

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 588 KB  
Article
Co-Designing an Inclusive Stakeholder Engagement Strategy for Rehabilitation Technology Training Using the I-STEM Model
by Holly Blake, Victoria Abbott-Fleming, Asem Abdalrahim and Matthew Horrocks
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23010013 - 20 Dec 2025
Viewed by 480
Abstract
Background: Rehabilitation technologies, including assistive devices, adaptive software, and robotic systems, are increasingly integral to contemporary rehabilitation practice. Yet, ensuring that training in their use is inclusive and accessible remains a critical challenge. Methods: This study reports findings from patient and public involvement [...] Read more.
Background: Rehabilitation technologies, including assistive devices, adaptive software, and robotic systems, are increasingly integral to contemporary rehabilitation practice. Yet, ensuring that training in their use is inclusive and accessible remains a critical challenge. Methods: This study reports findings from patient and public involvement (PPI) activities conducted by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HealthTech Research Centre in Rehabilitation. Fifteen contributors participated, comprising rehabilitation professionals and educators, individuals with lived experience of serious illness, injury, or disability requiring rehabilitation, and technology innovators. The purpose of these activities was to identify the factors necessary to ensure that training in rehabilitation technologies is equitable for people with sensory, cognitive, and physical impairments. Findings: Contributors highlighted a series of priority domains that together capture the breadth of challenges and opportunities in this area. These included the need to address physical, sensory, and cognitive accessibility; to foster participation, motivation, and engagement; to strengthen instructional design and delivery; to ensure technological accessibility and integration; to enhance staff training and competence; and to embed participant-centred and policy approaches. Contributions in these domains were synthesised into thematic categories that provide a structured understanding of the training requirements of rehabilitation technology recipients. Evaluation: The PPI process was evaluated using the Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public (GRIPP2) Short Form, supplemented by an evaluation survey. This dual approach ensured that the contributions were systematically documented and critically appraised. Implications: Guided by implementation science, the principal output of this work was a co-created stakeholder engagement strategy, structured using the Implementation STakeholder Engagement Model (I-STEM). This plan will serve as a foundation for future research exploring the education and training needs of diverse stakeholder groups, thereby contributing to the development of more inclusive and effective rehabilitation technology training practices. Full article
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