Effect of Socially Assistive Robot Intervention on People with Dementia in New Life Environment Using Gerontechnology : Meta-analysis

Abstract Background Patients with dementia commonly have problems processing speech in the presence of competing background speech or noise. This difficulty can be present from the very early stages of dementia, and may be a preclinical feature of Alzheimer's disease. Purpose This study investigates whether people with dementia perform worse on the dichotic digit test (DDT), an experimental probe of speech processing in the presence of competing speech, and whether test performance may predict dementia onset. Research Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data Collection and Analysis A literature search was conducted in Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Psycinfo. We included (1) studies that included people with a diagnosis of dementia and a healthy control group with no cognitive impairment; (2) studies that reported results from a DDT in a free-recall response task; and (3) studies that had the dichotic digit mean correct percentage score or right-ear advantage, as outcome measurements. Results People with dementia had a lower DDT total score, with a pooled mean difference of 18.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 21.2–15.9). Patients with dementia had an increased right-ear advantage relative to controls with a pooled difference of 24.4% (95% CI: 21.8–27.0). Conclusion The DDT total scores are lower and the right-ear advantage increased in cognitively impaired versus normal control participants. The findings also suggest that the reduction of dichotic digit total score and increase of right-ear advantage progress as cognitive impairment increases. Whether abnormalities in dichotic digit scores could predict subsequent dementia onset should be examined in further longitudinal studies.

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The design of Lil’Flo, a socially assistive robot for upper extremity motor assessment and rehabilitation in the community via telepresence

Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering ◽

10.1177/20556683211001805 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 205566832110018

Author(s):

Michael J Sobrepera ◽

Vera G Lee ◽

Michelle J Johnson

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Motor Rehabilitation ◽

Rehabilitation Care ◽

Rehabilitation Professionals ◽

Novel Approach ◽

Assistive Robot ◽

Care Facilities ◽

The Rich ◽

Socially Assistive Robot ◽

Assistive Robotic

Introduction We present Lil’Flo, a socially assistive robotic telerehabilitation system for deployment in the community. As shortages in rehabilitation professionals increase, especially in rural areas, there is a growing need to deliver care in the communities where patients live, work, learn, and play. Traditional telepresence, while useful, fails to deliver the rich interactions and data needed for motor rehabilitation and assessment. Methods We designed Lil’Flo, targeted towards pediatric patients with cerebral palsy and brachial plexus injuries using results from prior usability studies. The system combines traditional telepresence and computer vision with a humanoid, who can play games with patients and guide them in a present and engaging way under the supervision of a remote clinician. We surveyed 13 rehabilitation clinicians in a virtual usability test to evaluate the system. Results The system is more portable, extensible, and cheaper than our prior iteration, with an expressive humanoid. The virtual usability testing shows that clinicians believe Lil’Flo could be deployed in rural and elder care facilities and is more capable of remote stretching, strength building, and motor assessments than traditional video only telepresence. Conclusions Lil’Flo represents a novel approach to delivering rehabilitation care in the community while maintaining the clinician-patient connection.

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