ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Robot. AI

Sec. Robot Design

Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/frobt.2025.1581506

Co-Design Methodology for Rapid Prototyping of Modular Robots in Care Settings

Provisionally accepted
Alexandre ColleAlexandre Colle1,2*Alexandre ColleAlexandre Colle3,4*Karen DonaldsonKaren Donaldson5Mauro DragoneMauro Dragone6
  • 1Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
  • 2Assisted Living Lab, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
  • 3University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
  • 4Soft Sytstem Group, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
  • 5School of Engineering, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
  • 6School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

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This paper introduces a structured co-design methodology for developing modular robotic solutions for the care sector. Despite the widespread adoption of co-design in robotics, existing frameworks often lack clear and systematic processes to effectively incorporate user requirements into tangible robotic designs. To address this gap, the present work proposes an iterative, modular co-design methodology that captures, organises, and translates user insights into practical robotic modules. The methodology employs Design Research (DR) methods combined with Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) principles, enabling rapid prototyping and iterative refinement based on continuous user feedback. The proposed approach was applied in the development of Robobrico, a modular robot created collaboratively with care home users. Outcomes from this study demonstrate that this structured process effectively aligns robot functionality with user expectations, enhances adaptability, and facilitates practical integration of modular robotic platforms in real-world care environments. This paper details the proposed methodology, the tools developed to support it, and key insights derived from its implementation.

Keywords: assisted technology, Modular Robotics, Design for additive manufacturing, Co-design methodology, Care sector

Received: 22 Feb 2025; Accepted: 05 May 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Colle, Colle, Donaldson and Dragone. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence:
Alexandre Colle, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, Scotland, United Kingdom
Alexandre Colle, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Supplementary Material