A trial of social robots in Singapore has found that using artificial intelligence robots can engage or calm people living with dementia who are restless, anxious or agitated, and could offer an effective alternative to medication.
“There is emerging evidence that social robots are capable of genuinely improving quality of life for people in long-term care," Prudence Chan, Clinical Director of the Singapore-based Pacific Rehab Group, said.
“A person who is experiencing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), like demanding to go home, can be engaged by these robots.”
Prudence will be presenting on this topic at the biennial International Dementia Conference in Sydney on 5-6 September 2024, hosted by HammondCare's The Dementia Centre, piloted a range of different robots.
She said the type of robot should be matched to the needs of the person living with dementia. The robots tested included:
- KEBBI Air, a Taiwanese table-top robot available in range of character 'skins'. KEBBI Air is ideal for music and movement activities, is capable to storytelling, and can hold conversations that support people living with dementia.
- Paro, a robotic seal, is effective at calming and comforting someone living with dementia experiencing distress.
- DEXIE, a Singapore-developed humanoid robot is effective for group exercises and games such as Bingo. She appears as a seated woman, but is expensive relative to the other robots.
- LOVOT is a Japanese social robot that its maker claim “makes you happy”. It comes in a variety of cute forms, and uses sensors to detect the mood of the human user.
Though not part of the trial, Prudence said the Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics and AI-enabled, voice-activated healthcare worker Grace (which can be repurposed to provide counselling or psychotherapy and take the vital signs of patients) also have potential future roles in dementia care.
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