Objective : The rapid aging of the population and the increase in average life expectancy have led to a surge in demand for elderly care services, while the decrease in the working-age population is causing a shortage of care workers. Consequently, innovation based on technology is needed to enhance the sustainability and efficiency of care services. Care robots, in particular, are gaining attention as a core technology that can contribute to reducing the burden on human resources and improving the quality of services. This study aims to analyze the intervention effects of care robots, focusing on international cases, to supplement the limitations of domestic research and provide foundational data for future strategy development.
Methods : A systematic literature review was conducted on papers published internationally from 2015 to June 2025, following the PRISMA guidelines and PICO criteria. Literature searches utilized PubMed and ScienceDirect. The quality level of the selected papers was assessed using the 5-level evidence classification method by Abresma et al. (2008). The search initially yielded a total of 106 papers, from which 100 were excluded based on the exclusion criteria, resulting in a final analysis of 6 papers.
Results : Of the 6 finally selected papers, Level I accounted for 3 papers (50%), Level II for 1 paper (17%), and Level III for 2 papers (33%). The mobile robots used were diverse, including SWalker, Soft Robotic Intervention System, GEAR Robot, SafeWalker, RABWWSTT, and HAL Lumbar Type. The intervention periods ranged from a minimum of 10 days to a maximum of 15 months, with session durations varying from 15 to 45 minutes. Each robot demonstrated positive effects in areas such as fall prevention, improvement of walking ability, enhancement of functional independence, and better quality of life.
Conclusion : Mobile robots are verified as an effective core technology for reducing the burden on personnel and improving the quality of services in elderly care settings. Future research should expand the application targets of mobile robots to individuals of various ages and diseases, and develop personalized intervention programs to enhance the practical effectiveness and sustainability of the technology.