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Abstract BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, many people lacked access to group fitness opportunities due to elevated risk of infection, lockdown, and closure of exercise facilities. Additionally, many people experienced higher than average rates of mental health burden (eg, anxiety and stress). To help address these needs, an existing in-person community exercise class, taught by a faculty member from an academic medical center, transitioned to an online synchronous (OS) physical fitness class via the Zoom (Zoom Video Communications) videoconferencing platform. As such, the instructor advertised the OS fitness classes through an existing email list of community members and university faculty, staff, students, or alumni email listservs. This telewellness intervention sought to create a sense of community, build social support, and promote physical and mental wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic. ObjectiveOur aim was to determine the perceived mental and physical health benefits of attending an OS fitness class for community members, including health care workers. We also assessed the use and functionality of related technologies necessary for delivering and attending the fitness classes. MethodsAn online survey questionnaire was created and tested to collect quantitative and qualitative data for an exploratory study. Data were collected to evaluate the fitness class, motivation, perceived health benefits, and related technologies. A convenience sample of people who had participated in the OS fitness classes was recruited for this study via an emailed recruitment flyer. ResultsA total of 51 participants accessed and completed the survey questionnaire. Survey participants consisted of 28 of 51 (55%) with a university affiliation, 17 of 51 (33%) with no university affiliation, and 6 of 51 (12%) who declined to state. The largest group of participants reporting full-time employment (18/51, 35%) also reported university affiliation with the academic medical center. In this group, 13 of 51 (25%) participants reported full-time employment, university affiliation, and doctoral degrees. High overall exercise class satisfaction was observed in the survey responses (mean 4.0, SD 1). Data analyses revealed significant perceived value of both mental and physical health benefits as motivating factors for participating in the OS fitness class. Challenges were identified as not being able to receive individual feedback from the instructor and the inability of some participants to see if they were in sync with the rest of the class. ConclusionsResults provide preliminary support for the use of online videoconferencing fitness platforms to promote wellness and facilitate group exercise in the community during times of high infection risk. Future studies should continue to explore perceived benefits, mental and physical wellness, best practices, and the design of related technologies. 

BackgroundRural and remote communities were especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic due to the availability and capacity of rural health services. Research has found that key issues surrounded (1) the lack of staff, (2) the need for coordinated health services, and (3) operational and facility issues. Similarly, research also confirms that irrespective of hospital capacity issues existing during crisis, compared to urban communities, rural communities typically face poorer access to health services. Telehealth programs have long held promise for addressing health disparities perpetuated by inadequate health care access. In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, Adventist Health Saint Helena Hospital, a rural hospital in northern California, urgently worked to expand telehealth services. However, as Adventist Health Saint Helena Hospital is the longest-serving rural hospital in the state of California, administrators were also able to draw on experiences from the pandemic of 1918/1919. Understanding their historically rural and heavily Latino populations, their telehealth approach was coupled with cultural approaches for prioritizing socially responsive and equitable access to health services. ObjectiveThis study aimed to present one rural community’s holistic sociotechnical response to COVID-19 in redesigning their health care delivery approach. Redesign efforts included the expansion of digital health services coupled with county-wide collaborations for nondigital mobile health centers, testing, and vaccination clinics to meet the needs of those with limited digital access and language barriers. MethodsWe present data on telehealth services for maintaining critical care services and a framework on the feasibility of private-public partnerships to address COVID-19 challenges. ResultsIn this paper, we provide a critical review of how a rural hospital adapted its health care approach to incorporate telehealth services and distance services to meet the needs of a diverse population. ConclusionsThis paper contributes empirical data on how rural communities can use telehealth technologies and community partnerships for a holistic community approach to meet health needs during a natural disaster. Conflicts of InterestNone declared. 

BackgroundCOVID-19 has severely impacted health in vulnerable demographics. As communities transition back to in-person work, learning, and social activities, pediatric patients who are restricted to their homes due to medical conditions face unprecedented isolation. Prior to the pandemic, it was estimated that each year, over 2.5 million US children remained at home due to medical conditions. Confronting gaps in health and technical resources is central to addressing the challenges faced by children who remain at home. Having children use mobile telemedicine units (telerobots) to interact with their outside environment (eg, school and play, etc) is increasingly recognized for its potential to support children’s development. Additionally, social telerobots are emerging as a novel form of telehealth. A social telerobot is a tele-operated unit with a mobile base, 2-way audio/video capabilities, and some semiautonomous features. ObjectiveIn this paper, we aimed to provide a critical review of studies focused on the use of social telerobots for pediatric populations. MethodsTo examine the evidence on telerobots as a telehealth intervention, we conducted electronic and full-text searches of private and public databases in June 2010. We included studies with the pediatric personal use of interactive telehealth technologies and telerobot studies that explored effects on child development. We excluded telehealth and telerobot studies with adult (aged >18 years) participants. ResultsIn addition to telehealth and telerobot advantages, evidence from the literature suggests 3 promising robot-mediated supports that contribute to optimal child development—belonging, competence, and autonomy. These robot-mediated supports may be leveraged for improved pediatric patient socioemotional development, well-being, and quality-of-life activities that transfer traditional developmental and behavioral experiences from organic local environments to the remote child. ConclusionsThis review contributes to the creation of the first pediatric telehealth taxonomy of care that includes the personal use of telehealth technologies as a compelling form of telehealth care. 

Tele-operated collaborative robots are used by many children for academic learning. However, as child-directed play is important for social-emotional learning, it is also important to understand how robots can facilitate play. In this article, we present findings from an analysis of a national, multi-year case study, where we explore how 53 children in grades K–12 (n= 53) used robots for self-directed play activities. The contributions of this article are as follows. First, we present empirical data on novel play scenarios that remote children created using their tele-operated robots. These play scenarios emerged in five categories of play: physical, verbal, visual, extracurricular, and wished-for play. Second, we identify two unique themes that emerged from the data—robot-mediated play as a foundational support of general friendships and as a foundational support of self-expression and identity. Third, our work found that robot-mediated play provided benefits similar to in-person play. Findings from our work will inform novel robot and HRI design for tele-operated and social robots that facilitate self-directed play. Findings will also inform future interdisciplinary studies on robot-mediated play. 

Tele-operated social robots (telerobots) offer an innovative means of allowing children who are medically restricted to their homes (MRH) to return to their local schools and physical communities. Most commercially available telerobots have three foundational features that facilitate child–robot interaction: remote mobility, synchronous two-way vision capabilities, and synchronous two-way audio capabilities. We conducted a comparative analysis between the Toyota Human Support Robot (HSR) and commercially available telerobots, focusing on these foundational features. Children who used these robots and these features on a daily basis to attend school were asked to pilot the HSR in a simulated classroom for learning activities. As the HSR has three additional features that are not available on commercial telerobots: (1) pan-tilt camera, (2) mapping and autonomous navigation, and (3) robot arm and gripper for children to “reach” into remote environments, participants were also asked to evaluate the use of these features for learning experiences. To expand on earlier work on the use of telerobots by remote children, this study provides novel empirical findings on (1) the capabilities of the Toyota HSR for robot-mediated learning similar to commercially available telerobots and (2) the efficacy of novel HSR features (i.e., pan-tilt camera, autonomous navigation, robot arm/hand hardware) for future learning experiences. We found that among our participants, autonomous navigation and arm/gripper hardware were rated as highly valuable for social and learning activities. 

Background: Each year in the U.S. there are an estimated 15,780 children between the ages of birth and 19 years of age who are diagnosed with cancer. Many are also medically restricted to their homes each year due to symptoms, treatments, and recovery. Thus, they are consequently denied vital behavioral and developmental experiences fundamental to social connectedness and optimal development. A better understanding of the relationship between tele-technologies that facilitate person-to-person interactions and levels of social connectedness will allow us to develop innovative and comprehensive programs that improve quality of life experiences for childhood cancer survivors.  

Social telepresence robots (i.e., telerobots) are used for social and learning experiences by children. However, most (if not all) commercially available telerobot bodies were designed for adults in corporate or healthcare settings. Due to an adult-focused market, telerobot design has typically not considered important factors such as age and physical aspect in the design of robot bodies. To better understand how peer interactants can facilitate the identities of remote children through personalization of robot bodies, we conducted an exploratory study to evaluate collaborative robot personalization. In this study, child participants (N=28) attended an interactive lesson on robots in our society. After the lesson, participants interacted with two telerobots for personalization activities and a robot fashion show. Finally, participants completed an artwork activity on robot design. Initial findings from this study will inform our continued work on telepresence robots for virtual inclusion and improved educational experiences of remote children and their peers. 

Latine Health and Development in the Digital Age: Assets-Based Inclusive Design as a Social Movement for Equitable Distributions of Power → Inclusive design of digital platforms may increase equitable access to healthcare services and dismantle systemic barriers for Latine communities. → Ethical identification of assets in the design process can promote action through internal change or external allyship. → The ABID framework is designed to minimize technology-based amplifications of existing inequities.