Enhancing Patient Acceptance of Robotic Ultrasound through Conversational Virtual Agent and Immersive Visualizations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel system combining an AI conversational virtual agent with immersive visualizations to improve patient trust and acceptance of robotic ultrasound procedures, supported by a user study.

Contribution

It presents an integrated approach using large language models and mixed reality visualizations to enhance patient experience in robotic ultrasound, which is a new direction in medical robotics.

Findings

Significant increase in patient trust and acceptance

Effective engagement through natural language conversations

Positive user feedback on immersive visualizations

Abstract

Robotic ultrasound systems can enhance medical diagnostics, but patient acceptance is a challenge. We propose a system combining an AI-powered conversational virtual agent with three mixed reality visualizations to improve trust and comfort. The virtual agent, powered by a large language model, engages in natural conversations and guides the ultrasound robot, enhancing interaction reliability. The visualizations include augmented reality, augmented virtuality, and fully immersive virtual reality, each designed to create patient-friendly experiences. A user study demonstrated significant improvements in trust and acceptance, offering valuable insights for designing mixed reality and virtual agents in autonomous medical procedures.