Human Interaction: A key to managing disruptive behavior in dementia.

The results are part of a larger multi-center, mixed-methods study investigating the effect of environmental design in managing disruptive behavior in dementia. The presentation focuses on data from fifteen (15) discussion groups conducted with families (N = 45) and staff (N= 59) from eight (8) dementia units. Participants were asked to identify the primary obstacles and facilitators for managing behaviors in long-term care facilities. Results stress the importance of human interaction and institutional flexibility. These will be discussed in the context of communication environments and supported by observational data obtained in five (5) of the units

Tri-modal speed and separation monitoring technique using static-dynamic danger field implementation

Speed and Separation Monitoring (SSM) has become one of the recent methods to ensure safety in Human Robot Interactions (HRI). SSM maintains a safe separation distance between the robot and any human collaborator and issues a safety-rated halt to the robot when the set safe distance is violated. SSM could be classified into two: Static, which uses a predefined offline safeguard volume and Dynamic, which uses a more-fit online-calculated volume. A trade-off arises between the two as Static SSM is often over conservative and significantly affect the productivity of the system, while dynamic SSM may become less reliable in terms of safety performance as the maximum velocity of the robot is increased. These trends are confirmed through the system created in this study. To overcome the trade-off, this study proposes a combination of the two in a tri-modal SSM. Using the KUKA Robot AGILUS SIXX as arm manipulator, Microsoft Kinect as sensor, JOpenShowVar as middleware, and MATLAB R2013a for the user interface, the researchers were able to create a system that offers a better trade-off compared to its counterparts. The proposed system is reliably safe at higher speeds compared to the dynamic implementation but still significantly productive compared to the static implementation. © 2018 IEEE

Exercise priming with transcranial direct current stimulation: a study protocol for a randomized, parallel-design, sham-controlled trial in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract Background Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive type of brain stimulation that uses electrical currents to modulate neuronal activity. A small number of studies have investigated the effects of tDCS on cognition in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and have demonstrated variable effects. Emerging evidence suggests that tDCS is most effective when applied to active brain circuits. Aerobic exercise is known to increase cortical excitability and improve brain network connectivity. Exercise may therefore be an effective, yet previously unexplored primer for tDCS to improve cognition in MCI and mild AD. Methods Participants with MCI or AD will be randomized to receive 10 sessions over 2 weeks of either exercise primed tDCS, exercise primed sham tDCS, or tDCS alone in a blinded, parallel-design trial. Those randomized to an exercise intervention will receive individualized 30-min aerobic exercise prescriptions to achieve a moderate-intensity dosage, equivalent to the ventilatory anaerobic threshold determined by cardiopulmonary assessment, to sufficiently increase cortical excitability. The tDCS protocol consists of 20 min sessions at 2 mA, 5 times per week for 2 weeks applied through 35 cm2 bitemporal electrodes. Our primary aim is to assess the efficacy of exercise primed tDCS for improving global cognition using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Our secondary aims are to evaluate the efficacy of exercise primed tDCS for improving specific cognitive domains using various cognitive tests (n-back, Word Recall and Word Recognition Tasks from the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale) and neuropsychiatric symptoms (Neuropsychiatric Inventory). We will also explore whether exercise primed tDCS is associated with an increase in markers of neurogenesis, oxidative stress and angiogenesis, and if changes in these markers are correlated with cognitive improvement. Discussion We describe a novel clinical trial to investigate the effects of exercise priming before tDCS in patients with MCI or mild AD. This proof-of-concept study may identify a previously unexplored, non-invasive, non-pharmacological combination intervention that improves cognitive symptoms in patients. Findings from this study may also identify potential mechanistic actions of tDCS in MCI and mild AD. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03670615 . Registered on September 13, 2018