RehaBot: a user-centered design and usability evaluation of a chatbot-based platform for cerebral palsy telerehabilitation

Cerebral palsy is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that often requires sustained, home-based rehabilitation to maintain functional gains. Telerehabilitation has been proposed to extend specialist support beyond the clinic, but prior literature reports that therapists face difficulties personalizing, monitoring, and documenting remote interventions. To address these challenges, we applied a user-centered design (UCD) approach to develop RehaBot, a conversational telerehabilitation platform that integrates structured exercise prescription, video-guided home sessions, automated reminders, and bidirectional communication within a single digital workflow. Iterative co-design sessions with clinicians and patients informed system requirements, prioritizing accessibility, workflow integration, and motivational support. We conducted a mixed-methods usability and feasibility evaluation with patients with cerebral palsy ( N = 10, via caregiver proxy report) and rehabilitation professionals ( N = 10). The platform achieved high usability, with mean System Usability Scale scores exceeding established industry benchmarks for both groups. Qualitative interview data from therapists highlight enhanced patient engagement and streamlined remote supervision, while identifying areas for automation and workflow optimization. These findings suggest that a chatbot-based architecture is a feasible, accepted interface for structured home neurorehabilitation, with perceived benefits for communication and monitoring beyond the clinic. Future work will focus on large-scale clinical validation, adherence monitoring, and long-term outcome assessment.