HybReDe brings user-centred AI rehabilitation development to an international audience

Niina Katajapuu, Principal Lecturer, Research Group Leader at Turku UAS represented the HybReDe project at the International Conference Rehabilitation and Health Promotion: Future Perspectives 2026. The presentation introduced HybReDe’s work on AI-based virtual assistants in hybrid rehabilitation, highlighting the importance of user involvement, trust and acceptability in developing solutions that can be used in real-life rehabilitation.

HybReDe brings together partners from across the Baltic Sea Region to develop and test AI-based virtual assistants in different rehabilitation contexts. Through the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme, the project combines perspectives from different rehabilitation systems, professionals and user groups. We asked Niina about the conference discussions, lessons learned so far and the future potential of virtual assistants in rehabilitation.

What was the main message you wanted to share with the conference audience about HybReDe?

“If we build AI for rehabilitation without users, we may create technically impressive solutions. If we build AI with rehabilitees and professionals, we create solutions that can actually be adopted and used in real-life rehabilitation.”

How did the conference participants respond to the idea of using AI-based virtual assistants in rehabilitation? Which topics generated the most discussion?

“The discussion was sparked by how to make an AI-based virtual assistant inspire trust among users.”

What has HybReDe learned so far about what makes a virtual assistant acceptable and useful for both rehabilitees and rehabilitation professionals?

“The key lesson from HybReDe is that an acceptable virtual assistant must be trustworthy, easy to use, relevant to everyday rehabilitation, and designed together with rehabilitees and professionals rather than for them.”

How has international collaboration through the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme supported the development of HybReDe’s virtual assistants?

“Interreg Baltic Sea Region enabled us to co-create virtual assistants with stakeholders from different rehabilitation systems, allowing us to identify both shared and country-specific needs and ultimately develop solutions that are more transferable, trustworthy and relevant across the Baltic Sea Region.”

What do you see as the most promising opportunity for virtual assistants in rehabilitation?

“Rehabilitation processes can be long, even lifelong. A virtual assistant can support the client in situations where the client does not have close contact with a professional, for example, when the intervals between meetings become longer. The professional can get a companion from the virtual assistant with whom they can spar with the latest information on issues that the expert does not encounter on a weekly basis. However, this requires careful, multidisciplinary development work in the future as well. One size does not fit all!”

The next opportunity to follow HybReDe’s progress will come in November, when the project will be presented at the 6th Europe Region Physiotherapy Congress. It will offer a timely moment to see how the virtual assistants and their evaluation have developed in the months between the two events

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