The introduction of robots in the real world requires previous evaluation of the envisaged performance. Factors like usability, user experience, social acceptance, or societal impact, among others, have been taken into account in evaluation frameworks defined during the last years. However, one of the most important factors that need to be evaluated in any kind of interaction is whether all the users are able to work with the system with the same opportunities and easiness, and none of the current human–robot interaction (HRI) evaluation frameworks include this factor yet. This article proposes an extension of a popular HRI evaluation framework, including accessibility as a new evaluation factor. The proposed approach, named AUSUS, considers Accessibility, Usability, Social acceptance, User experience, and Societal impact. This article presents a use case of the framework, which is evaluated through a socially assistive robotic platform created to perform comprehensive geriatric assessment: the CLARC system. The details of the evaluation process in a hospital and a retirement home are reported, and the main difficulties and recommendations of using AUSUS are discussed.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidimensional and multidisciplinary diagnostic instrument that helps provide personalized care to older adults by evaluating their state of health. This evaluation is based on extensive data collection in order to develop a coordinated plan to maximize overall health with aging. In the social and economic context of growing ageing populations, medical experts can save time and effort if provided with interactive tools to efficiently assist them in doing CGAs, managing either standardized tests or data collection. Recent research proposes the use of social robots as the central part of this optimization of clinicians’ time and effort. This paper presents the first and last steps of the research made around the design and evaluation of the CLARC robot: fieldwork (analysis of needs and practices concerning clinical data management) and field trials (pilot experiment in real-life conditions in a rehab hospital). Based on an extensive literature review of social robotics applications for health and ageing, it discusses the practical and methodological questions raised around how to design and test assistive social robots for clinical routine, and questions the feasibility of an automated CGA procedure.