Auditory and Haptic Feedback in a Socially Assistive Robot Memory Game

Abstract

Age-related cognitive impairment is becoming a more prevalent concern as the elderly population continues to increase. Technological systems created for cognitive rehabilitation need to be motivating to combat the personal and logistic factors that make it difficult for them to remain engaged [4]. In this paper, we present a pilot study with a socially assistive robot-facilitated memory game that employs sensory feedback (audio, haptic, and both) to explore the design considerations with adults. The ultimate aim is to inform the design of a cognitive rehabilitation system for individuals with age-related cognitive decline. The preliminary results suggest a preference for auditory feedback, and participants believed they performed best in this condition. Based on qualitative feedback, we have identified improvements that can be made to the system to enhance engagement.