Humanoid Robots administering Cognitive Stimulation Therapy to help improve cognition and reduce neuropsychiatric disorders

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundDementia is a progressive disease that causes a continuous decline in cognition. People affected with dementia are also at high risk for neuropsychiatric disorders requiring frequent therapy sessions. The current healthcare worker shortages have made finding a therapist challenging, resulting in increased hospital admissions due to an increase in neuropsychiatric disorders in people affected with dementia. To address this problem humanoid robots and wearable sensors were programmed to administer Cognitive Stimulation Therapy(CST), a therapy that doesn’t require a clinician to be administered. CST is an evidence based therapy that is administered twice a week for seven weeks. The wearable sensors track and monitor the physiological data and are able to predict neuropsychiatric symptoms. The robots interact, communicate and administer the therapy while the participants are wearing the sensors along with artificial intelligence algorithms that track the physiological data to help predict any neuropsychiatric symptoms.MethodA humanoid robot, Pepper was programmed to administer Cognitive Stimulation Therapy to be deployed in nursing homes to help improve cognition and also help alleviate neuropsychiatric symptoms. The protocol involves conducting a cognitive assessment using the MMSE prior to initiation of the Cognitive Stimulation Therapy. The Cognitive Stimulation Therapy is administered twice a week for seven weeks. At the end of the fourteen sessions the MMSE is administered again to measure the cognition levels. Additionally pre and post surveys for depression, quality of life, Pittsburgh sleep index/ sleep quality and activities of daily living are conducted to monitor the neuropsychiatric symptoms. During the entire seven weeks the participants physiological data is tracked and analyzed using artificial intelligence algorithms to predict neuropsychiatric symptoms. The combination of the humanoid robots and the wearable sensors work in sync to improve cognition and reduce behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia..ResultThe robot is successfully programmed and tested in the lab setting. The study is successfully designed.ConclusionRobots can be employed to administer cognitive stimulation therapy to help improve cognition and reduce neuropsychiatric symptoms in people affected with dementia. Robots have the potential to address healthcare worker shortages.