Pilot Study on Weight Loss With Robotic Assistance

At the start of the five-week study, all participants will be enrolled in a Web-based behavioral weight loss program. The weight loss program places particular emphasis on hunger reduction and craving control for both weight loss and prevention of weight regain. The program will consist of six videoconference sessions delivered by a qualified coach. Menus and other program materials will be available to the participants throughout the study period. Participants also will be assigned to attend one-on-one "robotic assistance sessions" either early or late in the five-week study. During each robotic assistance session, the participant will speak with the robot about his/her progress with the weight loss program. The robot is programmed to respond to specific issues raised by the participant, but a human operator with thorough knowledge of the weight loss program will be available in case the conversation goes "off script." This human operator can initiate robot behaviors and prompt verbal responses through a text-to-speech interface. Data from this study will be used to refine the robot for future use and determine whether robotic help can improve a participant's experience in a previously tested weight loss program.