Robotic e-Partner that engages in music-related group activities with people affected by dementia

Abstract

The number of people affected by dementia is expected to rise to 135.5 million people over the course of the next two decades. Awaiting the discovery of a treatment able to cure dementia, current treatments focus on improving the social, physical, and emotional well-being of people with dementia. This thesis project aims to contribute to the availability of such treatments by presenting the design, development, and evaluation of a robotic ePartner that engages people with dementia in group activities with music. Following a user-centred design approach, a robot was developed to support three group activities: 1) physical exercises, 2) reminiscence, and 3) music bingo. The robot was tested in a 3-week observational study, in a meeting centre for people with dementia, where people with dementia meet for daytime activities under the guidance of professional caregivers and volunteers. People with dementia - and the activity coordinators - interacted with the robot in 3 weekly 90-minute sessions at a meeting centre for people with dementia in the Netherlands. Based on this research, the outcomes of the study suggested that the robotic ePartner could provide useful and suitable support for group activities in the meeting centres, especially if it were able to take charge of the procedural part of initiating, explaining, and coordinating group activities.