Before you begin
Starting knowledge
- Include the person affected in decisions.
- Identify qualified accessibility or care support when the task involves personal safety or care.
Equipment & environment
Start with a person-centered task review and non-clinical information gathering. This route is not a device prescription or care plan.
No fixed completion time: use the evidence gates below to decide when to advance. Resource links open the botstest directory entry; check its publisher documentation for the exact version and configuration.
Beginner
Understand the task and existing alternatives
Describe the barrier without assuming a robot is the answer.
Learn in this order
- User priorities, comfort and control
- Home layout and available assistance
- Ordinary adaptations versus research or specialist products
Put it into practice
- Map one daily task with the person and their chosen supporters.
- Record current workarounds, preferences and unacceptable outcomes.
A person-centered task and environment brief.
Ready for the next step when…
Resources for this stage
Establish vocabulary and distinguish robot types before choosing a platform.
Explore manipulation and assistive-platform information with qualified user and integration stakeholders.
Study a mobility/transfer-device reference with qualified care stakeholders; do not treat it as a DIY project.
Intermediate
Compare documented capabilities with specialist input
Separate a plausible feature from evidence of suitability.
Learn in this order
- Exact product configuration and support
- Usability, consent and account access
- Experimental claims versus supported use
Put it into practice
- Build a requirements comparison from official product information.
- Review unanswered questions with the relevant qualified stakeholders before any trial.
A requirements/evidence matrix and stakeholder question list.
Ready for the next step when…
Resources for this stage
Explore manipulation and assistive-platform information with qualified user and integration stakeholders.
Explore telepresence as a communications workflow; verify current hardware, service and account access.
Study mobile manipulation research and the required development and supervision workload.
Professional
Plan ownership, support and reconsideration
Make the decision reversible and supportable where possible.
Learn in this order
- Training and who performs setup/maintenance
- Fallback assistance and service availability
- Changing needs, privacy and continued consent
Put it into practice
- Document who owns setup, support and access management.
- Agree with the person and qualified supporters how usefulness and continued suitability will be reviewed.
An informed technology decision record and support/fallback plan.
Ready for the next step when…
Resources for this stage
Explore manipulation and assistive-platform information with qualified user and integration stakeholders.
Study a mobility/transfer-device reference with qualified care stakeholders; do not treat it as a DIY project.
Study workplace telepresence and facility communication as an application reference.
Common pitfalls
- Treating a robot catalog as an individualized accessibility assessment.
- Ignoring the person preferences and ongoing support workload.
Where to go next
Use the assistive-research route only for a properly scoped research project with the responsible specialists.
Explore other home paths →