Intelligent assistive technology devices for persons with dementia : a scoping review

Assistive technology with context-aware computing and artificial intelligence capabilities can be applied to address cognitive and communication impairments experienced by persons with dementia (PwD). This research aims to provide an overview of current literature regarding characteristics of intelligent assistive technology devices (IATDs) for cognitive and communicative impairments of PwD as well as of the areas of impairment addressed by the IATDS. A multi-faceted systematic search strategy involving three electronic database platforms, two electronic databases and three electronic journals yielded records produced over the past decade. Predefined criteria were applied for inclusion and data extraction. Data was thematically analysed and synthesised. This review demonstrates that the bulk of research involving IATDs over the past decade has focused on cognitive impairments of PwD and has not yet evolved past the conceptual or prototype stages of development. A summary of commercially available IATDs for PwD is provided at the end of this review. This research concluded that IATDs for PwD primarily focus on social robots, especially PARO, and that they address cognitive impairments of attention and affect, as well as social-pragmatic communicative impairments. Few IATDs address the linguistic impairments experienced by PwD. Future research should involve collaboration between computer engineering and health practitioners to address the identified gaps and to contribute to evidence-based decision making for PwD.Mini Dissertation (MAAC)--University of Pretoria, 2019.Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC)MAACUnrestricte

Robotic seals as therapeutic tools in an aged care facility: a qualitative study

Robots, including robotic seals, have been used as an alternative to therapies such as animal assisted therapy in the promotion of health and social wellbeing of older people in aged care facilities. There is limited research available that evaluates the effectiveness of robot therapies in these settings. The aim of this study was to identify, explore, and describe the impact of the use of Paro robotic seals in an aged care facility in a regional Australian city. A qualitative, descriptive, exploratory design was employed. Data were gathered through interviews with the three recreational therapists employed at the facility who were also asked to maintain logs of their interactions with the Paro and residents. Data were transcribed and thematically analysed. Three major themes were identified from the analyses of these data: "a therapeutic tool that's not for everybody," "every interaction is powerful," and "keeping the momentum." Findings support the use of Paro as a therapeutic tool, revealing improvement in emotional state, reduction of challenging behaviours, and improvement in social interactions of residents. The potential benefits justify the investment in Paro, with clear evidence that these tools can have a positive impact that warrants further exploration

Microbial contamination and efficacy of disinfection procedures of companion robots in care homes

Contains fulltext : 221797.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Background: Paro and other robot animals can improve wellbeing for older adults and people with dementia, through reducing depression, agitation and medication use. However, nursing and care staff we contacted expressed infection control concerns. Little related research has been published. We assessed (i) how microbiologically contaminated robot animals become during use by older people within a care home and (ii) efficacy of a cleaning procedure. Methods: This study had two stages. In stage one we assessed microbial load on eight robot animals after interaction with four care home residents, and again following cleaning by a researcher. Robot animals provided a range of shell-types, including fur, soft plastic, and solid plastic. Stage two involved a similar process with two robot animals, but a care staff member conducted cleaning. The cleaning process involved spraying with anti-bacterial product, brushing fur-type shells, followed by vigorous top-to-tail cleaning with anti-bacterial wipes on all shell types. Two samples were taken from each of eight robots in stage one and two robots in stage two (20 samples total). Samples were collected using contact plate stamping and evaluated using aerobic colony count and identification (gram stain, colony morphology, coagulase agglutination). Colony counts were measured by colony forming units per square centimetre (CFU/cm2). Results: Most robots acquired microbial loads well above an acceptable threshold of 2.5 CFU/cm2 following use. The bacteria identified were micrococcus species, coagulase negative staphylococcus, diptheriods, aerobic spore bearers, and staphylococcus aureus, all of which carry risk for human health. For all devices the CFU/cm2 reduced to well within accepted limits following cleaning by both researcher and care staff member. Conclusions: Companion robots will acquire significant levels of bacteria during normal use. The simple cleaning procedure detailed in this study reduced microbial load to acceptable levels in controlled experiments. Further work is needed in the field and to check the impact on the transmission of viruses.17 p

Microbial contamination and efficacy of disinfection procedures of companion robots in care homes

Background Paro and other robot animals can improve wellbeing for older adults and people with dementia, through reducing depression, agitation and medication use. However, nursing and care staff we contacted expressed infection control concerns. Little related research has been published. We assessed (i) how microbiologically contaminated robot animals become during use by older people within a care home and (ii) efficacy of a cleaning procedure. Methods This study had two stages. In stage one we assessed microbial load on eight robot animals after interaction with four care home residents, and again following cleaning by a researcher. Robot animals provided a range of shell-types, including fur, soft plastic, and solid plastic. Stage two involved a similar process with two robot animals, but a care staff member conducted cleaning. The cleaning process involved spraying with anti-bacterial product, brushing fur-type shells, followed by vigorous top-to-tail cleaning with anti-bacterial wipes on all shell types. Two samples were taken from each of eight robots in stage one and two robots in stage two (20 samples total). Samples were collected using contact plate stamping and evaluated using aerobic colony count and identification (gram stain, colony morphology, coagulase agglutination). Colony counts were measured by colony forming units per square centimetre (CFU/cm2). Results Most robots acquired microbial loads well above an acceptable threshold of 2.5 CFU/cm2 following use. The bacteria identified were micrococcus species, coagulase negative staphylococcus, diptheriods, aerobic spore bearers, and staphylococcus aureus, all of which carry risk for human health. For all devices the CFU/cm2 reduced to well within accepted limits following cleaning by both researcher and care staff member. Conclusions Companion robots will acquire significant levels of bacteria during normal use. The simple cleaning procedure detailed in this study reduced microbial load to acceptable levels in controlled experiments. Further work is needed in the field and to check the impact on the transmission of viruses

Morphology of socially assistive robots for health and social care: A reflection on 24 months of research with anthropomorphic, zoomorphic and mechanomorphic devices

Contains fulltext : 236633.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access)This paper reflects on four studies completed over the last 24 months, with social robots including Pepper, Paro, Joy for All cats and dogs, Miro, Pleo, Padbot and cheaper toys, including i) focus groups and interviews on suitable robot pet design, ii) surveys on ethical perceptions of robot pets, and iii) recorded interactions between stakeholders and a range of social robots. In total, up to 371 participants' views were included across the analysed studies. Data was reviewed and mined for relevance to the use and impact of morphology types for social robots in health and social care. Results suggested biomorphic design was preferable over mechanomorphic, and speech and life-simulation features (such as breathing) were well received. Anthropomorphism demonstrated some limitations in evoking fear and task-expectations that were absent for zoomorphic designs. The combination of familiar, zoomorphic appearance with animacy, life-simulation and speech capabilities thus appeared to be an area of research for future robots developed for health and social care.2021 30th IEEE International Conference on Robot & Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN) (Vancouver, Canada, 8-12 Aug. 2021

A brief review of robotics technologies to support social interventions for older users

In the last few decades, various studies demonstrated numerous robotics applications that can tackle the problem of the ageing population by supporting older people to live longer and independently at home. This article reviews the scientific literature and highlights how social robots can help the daily life of older people and be useful also as assessment tools for mild physical and mental conditions. It will underline the aspects of usability and acceptability of robotic solutions for older persons. Indeed, the design should maximise these to improve the users' attitude towards the actual use of the robots. The article discusses the advantages and concerns about the use of robotics technology in the social context with a vulnerable population. In this field, success is to assist social workers, not to replace them. We conclude recommending that care benefits should be balanced against ethical costs

Robots sociales y animales en la terapia de personas con demencia avanzada

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Medicina. Fecha de lectura: 20-04-201

Companion robots for older people: importance of user-centred design demonstrated through observations and focus groups comparing preferences of older people and roboticists in South West England.

Companion robots for older people: importance of usercentred design demonstrated through observations and focus groups comparing preferences of older people and roboticists in South West England. BMJ Open 2019;9:e032468. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2019-032468 ► Prepublication history and additional material for this paper are available online. To view these files, please visit the journal online (http://dx.doi. org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019- 032468). Received 25 June 2019 Revised 05 September 2019 Accepted 09 September 2019 For numbered affiliations see end of article. Correspondence to Hannah Louise Bradwell; hannah.bradwell@plymouth. ac.uk Original research © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. Abstract Objective Companion robots, such as Paro, may reduce agitation and depression for older people with dementia. However, contradictory research outcomes suggest robot design is not always optimal. While many researchers suggest user-centred design is important, there is little evidence on the difference this might make. Here, we aimed to assess its importance by comparing companion robot design perceptions between older people (end users) and roboticists (developers). Design Older people and roboticists interacted with eight companion robots or alternatives at two separate events in groups of two to four people. Interactions were recorded, participants’ comments and observations were transcribed, and content was analysed. Subsequently, each group participated in focus groups on perceptions of companion robot design. Discussions were recorded and transcribed, and content was analysed. Participants and settings Seventeen older people (5 male, 12 female, ages 60–99) at a supported living retirement complex, and 18 roboticists (10 male, 8 female, ages 24–37) at a research centre away-day. Results We found significant differences in design preferences between older people and roboticists. Older people desired soft, furry, interactive animals that were familiar and realistic, while unfamiliar forms were perceived as infantilising. By contrast, most roboticists eschewed familiar and realistic designs, thinking unfamiliar forms better suited older people. Older people also expressed desire for features not seen as important by developers. A large difference was seen in attitude towards ability to talk: 12/17 (71%) older people but only 2/18 (11%) roboticists requested speech. Older people responded positively towards life-simulation features, eye contact, robot personalisation and obeying commands, features undervalued by roboticists. These differences were reflected in preferred device, with ‘Joy for All’ cat chosen most often by older people, while roboticists most often chose Paro. Conclusion The observed misalignment of opinion between end users and developers on desirable design features of companion robots demonstrates the need for user-centred design during development

Design of a Huggable Social Robot with Affective Expressions Using Projected Images

We introduce Pepita, a caricatured huggable robot capable of sensing and conveying affective expressions by means of tangible gesture recognition and projected avatars. This study covers the design criteria, implementation and performance evaluation of the different characteristics of the form and function of this robot. The evaluation involves: (1) the exploratory study of the different features of the device, (2) design and performance evaluation of sensors for affective interaction employing touch, and (3) design and implementation of affective feedback using projected avatars. Results showed that the hug detection worked well for the intended application and the affective expressions made with projected avatars were appropriated for this robot. The questionnaires analyzing users’ perception provide us with insights to guide the future designs of similar interfaces

Exploring requirements and alternative pet robots for robot assisted therapy with older adults with dementia

Robot assisted therapy has been applied in care for older adults who suffer from dementia for over ten years. Strong effects like improved interac-tion and signs of a higher sense of wellbeing have been reported. Still it is un-clear which features are needed and which robotic pets would are suitable for this therapy. In this explorative research we interviewed 36 professional care-givers, both experienced and inexperienced in relationship to RAT and com-piled a list of requirements. Next, we used this list to compare commercially available robotic pets. We found that many pet robots are usable, although seal robot Paro meets the requirements best, being superior on sustainability, realis-tic movements and interactivity. Finally, a test with alternative pets showed that different subjects were attracted to different pets and a subsequential question-naire revealed that some caregivers were not only willing to try alternatives for Paro, but also suggesting that alternative pets could in some cases be more suit-able