Older Adults with Depression
As healthcare turns its focus to preventative community-based interventions, there is increasing interest in using in-home technology to support this goal. Our team evaluates the design and use of socially assistive robots (SARs) and sensors as in-home therapeutic support for older adults with depression.
Long-term in-home use of the robot allowed researchers and participants to situate desired robot features in specific practices and experiences of daily life, and some user requests for functionality changed due to extended use
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Results of data analysis of the robotic intervention suggest that: 1) the use of the Paro robot in participants’ homes significantly reduced the symptoms of depression for a majority of patients, and that 2) weekly fluctuations in patient depression levels can be predicted using a combination of robotic sensor data and Jawbone activity data (i.e. measuring their general activity levels and their interactions with the robot).
Therabot
Therabot™ is a robotic therapy support system designed to supplement a therapist and to provide support to patients diagnosed with conditions associated with trauma and adverse events. The system takes on the form factor of a floppy-eared dog that fits in a person’s lap and is designed for patients to provide support and encouragement for home therapy exercises and in counseling.
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Our research team is working on developing an adaptable SAR platform by extending the features and capabilities of Therabot™ and to identify and evaluate appropriate and effective therapeutic interventions using this platform to address the needs of individuals diagnosed with chronic depression.
The main research contributions are twofold. First, we will apply and appropriately adapt our findings to the development of SARs for mental health, particularly focusing on bridging therapy in clinical and home contexts and on mutual learning and co-design among the researchers, adults with depression, their caregivers, and clinicians. Second, we will further the technical development of adaptable robotic systems and a supporting software framework including an extension to the Interactive Social Engagement Architecture (ISEA) and Toolkit for long-term interaction outside the laboratory setting. This will include advances in robot learning and adaptive capabilities, as well as in technologies that can enable diverse users to personalize the robot’s appearance and behaviors.
SARs and Autism Spectrum Disorder
The propensity for anxiety, one of the characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can become more severe and difficult for this population to manage when stress is present. The purpose of this line of research is to examine the effects of socially-assistive robots (SAR) on young adults diagnosed with ASD measuring their CAR distribution. This study also seeks to establish daily stressors most common in the everyday lives of young adults with ASD
Prior research has shown that robots motivate and propel the engagement of the participants diagnosed with ASD, including the subjects that are unwilling to interact with other human therapists. These previous studies build a strong rationale and justification for the proposed research design of this study. The key advantage of robot-mediated therapy for ASD treatment is that the robot provides a continuous stimulus. This line of research will provide information on how SARs could relieve stress within this population, rather than enhance their social capabilities.
Contact Me
Dr. Jennifer Piatt, CTRS
Department of Health and Wellness Design, School of Public Health, Indiana University
Adress:
1025 E. 7th Street #111
Bloomington, IN 47405
Tel 812 - 923847923
Email jennpiatt@indiana.edu