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Can a storytelling robot get kids with cerebral palsy moving?

NCT ID NCT07842328

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of British Columbia Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 25, 2026 · Last updated Sep 25, 2026

Summary

Children with cerebral palsy often find it hard to take part in physical activity they enjoy. Researchers at the University of British Columbia are testing whether a small humanoid robot named NAO can lead children and teens through a single, story-based active-play session. The study will check whether the session is practical to run, safe, and acceptable to children and their caregivers. Feedback from families will help refine the approach and plan a larger trial.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
A humanoid social robot called NAO that guides children through a story-based active-play session
What this could lead to
If it works, robot-led play could become a low-pressure way to help children with cerebral palsy move more and enjoy physical activity. It could also shape a larger trial.
What could go wrong
This is a small, single-session study with 40 children, so it cannot show lasting health benefits. Some children may find the robot confusing or not engage with it, and results may not apply to all types of cerebral palsy.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 40 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Oct 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

6 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Children \& adolescents - * Aged 6-18 years with cerebral palsy * Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Level I-IV * Sufficient receptive English language ability to follow simple verbal instructions from NAO and respond to interview questions, with or without caregiver or communication-aid support Parent/caregiver - * Aged 19 years or older * Sufficient receptive English language ability to participate in interview and survey questions Additional participation requirements - * Able to attend an in-person study visit at BC Children's Hospital * Enrollment is at the dyad level: each child/adolescent must participate with a parent/caregiver, and neither may participate independently Exclusion Criteria: * GMFCS Level V * Uncontrolled seizure disorder or seizure within the previous 6 months * Severe visual or auditory impairment uncorrected by aids that would prevent interaction with NAO * Significant cognitive or communication impairment precluding assent and interview participation * Acute illness or cardiovascular condition contraindicating light-to-moderate physical activity Additional consideration: \- Individuals will be encouraged not to participate if the child or caregiver reports a fear of robots

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cerebral palsy Motor Activity

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Cerebral palsy

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • BC Children's Hospital

    Vancouver, British Columbia, V6H 3N1, Canada

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