The Jet-I-U: A biomimetic assistive robot for the visually impaired and elderly

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Saurav Gandhi ◽  
Ayush Goyal
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Home Health Care ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Behavioral Characteristics ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Assistive Robot ◽  
Scarlet Macaw ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Internet Of Things

As the population of the world continues to grow in size and in age; it remains vital to develop streamlined and affordable technologies to address the needs of those most in need of companionship and care. The elderly and visually impaired remain a significant and an ever-increasing segment of society, yet due to the cost of at-home health care, many of these individuals are unable to afford full-time caretakers to assist them in everyday tasks. Although the luxury of home care remains elusive to many due to the associated cost, social robots are an important and meaningful way to overcome this issue. The proposed research explores the combination of biomimicry and assistive technology with IoT and artificial intelligence (AI), by presenting an all-in-one social biomimetic assistive robot called the Jet-I-U. This device mimics the behavioral and physical characteristics of a pet scarlet macaw, to provide information and companionship to visually impaired and elderly individuals. The Jet-I-U emulates its morphology and movement through laser-cut features and various biomimetic components. The intelligence and behavioral characteristics of the macaw are modeled through the application of the Internet of Things (IoT), AI, and Machine Learning (ML). By utilizing platforms such as the NVIDIA Jetson Nano and leveraging IoT technologies, the Jet-I-U can assist the visually impaired and older adults in day-to-day tasks. Experimental analysis was performed to evaluate Jet-I-U’s performance based on several criteria, and the results demonstrated the adaptability and applicability of the proposed solution as a companion to visually impaired and older adults.

scholarly journals Vision Impairment: A Psychological Challenge of the Elderly

2021 ◽  
pp. 330-336
Author(s):  
Dr. Vatika Sibal
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The Body ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Psychosocial Needs ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Psychological Challenge

Ageing is part of life. With age, the body physically changes and there are psychological challenges are faced by visual impairment. The elderly find it difficult to cope with the changes. The study is substantiated by concepts, theories, and empirical findings that have accumulated under the umbrella of age-related psycho-ophthalmology. The focus is on adaptation theories in visually impaired older adults. One can understand the ageing through everyday competence, cognitive functioning, social functioning, and subjective well-being-related outcomes, depression, and adaptation processes. Thereafter, major insights related to the current state-of-the art psychosocial interventions with visually impaired older adults are reviewed. There is a need of public health community should become more aware of and address the psychosocial needs of visually impaired older adults.

scholarly journals Engaging End Users in Designing Systems and Hardware for a Socially Assistive Robot

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 823-823
Author(s):  
Pamela Cacchione ◽  
Caio Mucchiani ◽  
Kristine Lima ◽  
Ross Mead ◽  
Mark Yim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
End Users ◽  
Design Specifications ◽  
Care For The Elderly ◽  
Assistive Robot ◽  
Socially Assistive Robot ◽  
Paid Caregivers

Abstract Development of low-cost robots to assist older adults requires the input of end users: older adults, paid caregivers and clinicians. This study builds on prior work focused on the task investigation and deployment of mobile robots in a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. We identified hydration, walking and reaching as tasks appropriate for the robot and helpful to the older adults. In this study we investigated the design specifications for a socially assistive robot to perform the above tasks. Through focus groups of clinicians, older adults and paid caregivers we sought preferences on the design specifications. Using conventional content analysis, the following four themes emerged: the robot must be polite and personable; science fiction or alien like; depends on the need of the older adult; and multifaceted to meet the needs of older adults. These themes were used in the design and deployment of the Quori robot.

DSM-5 alcohol use disorder features among treatment-seeking older adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 185-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silke Behrendt ◽  
Barbara Braun ◽  
Randi Bilberg ◽  
Gerhard Bühringer ◽  
Michael Bogenschutz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Alcohol Use Disorder ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Treatment Seeking ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trial ◽  
Dsm 5 ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
And Gender ◽  
International Multicenter

Abstract. Background: The number of older adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD) is expected to rise. Adapted treatments for this group are lacking and information on AUD features in treatment seeking older adults is scarce. The international multicenter randomized-controlled clinical trial “ELDERLY-Study” with few exclusion criteria was conducted to investigate two outpatient AUD-treatments for adults aged 60+ with DSM-5 AUD. Aims: To add to 1) basic methodological information on the ELDERLY-Study by providing information on AUD features in ELDERLY-participants taking into account country and gender, and 2) knowledge on AUD features in older adults seeking outpatient treatment. Methods: baseline data from the German and Danish ELDERLY-sites (n=544) were used. AUD diagnoses were obtained with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, alcohol use information with Form 90. Results: Lost control, desired control, mental/physical problem, and craving were the most prevalent (> 70 %) AUD-symptoms. 54.9 % reported severe DSM-5 AUD (moderate: 28.2 %, mild: 16.9 %). Mean daily alcohol use was 6.3 drinks at 12 grams ethanol each. 93.9 % reported binging. More intense alcohol use was associated with greater AUD-severity and male gender. Country effects showed for alcohol use and AUD-severity. Conclusion: European ELDERLY-participants presented typical dependence symptoms, a wide range of severity, and intense alcohol use. This may underline the clinical significance of AUD in treatment-seeking seniors.

The Unusual Cruelty of Nursing Homes Behind Bars

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 264-271
Author(s):  
Rachel E. López
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Human Dignity ◽  
Prison Population ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The United States ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Trained Staff ◽  
State Prisons ◽  
The Cost

The elderly prison population continues to rise along with higher rates of dementia behind bars. To maintain the detention of this elderly population, federal and state prisons are creating long-term care units, which in turn carry a heavy financial burden. Prisons are thus gearing up to become nursing homes, but without the proper trained staff and adequate financial support. The costs both to taxpayers and to human dignity are only now becoming clear. This article squarely addresses the second dimension of this carceral practice, that is the cost to human dignity. Namely, it sets out why indefinitely incarcerating someone with dementia or other neurocognitive disorders violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. This conclusion derives from the confluence of two lines of U.S. Supreme Court precedent. First, in Madison v. Alabama, the Court recently held that executing someone (in Madison’s case someone with dementia) who cannot rationally understand their sentence amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. Second, in line with Miller v. Alabama, which puts life without parole (LWOP) sentences in the same class as death sentences due to their irrevocability, this holding should be extended to LWOP sentences. Put another way, this article explains why being condemned to life is equivalent to death for someone whose neurodegenerative disease is so severe that they cannot rationally understand their punishment.

Perspectives on the Therapeutic Benefits of Arginine Supplementation in Cancer Treatment

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 913-920
Author(s):  
Fabiani L. R. Beal ◽  
Pedro R. Beal ◽  
Juliana R. Beal ◽  
Natan Carvalho-Neves ◽  
Octávio L. Franco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Endothelial Permeability ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Therapeutic Benefits ◽  
Cell Growth And Differentiation ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Arginine Supplementation

Background: Arginine is considered a semi-essential amino acid in healthy adults and the elderly. This amino acid seems to improve the immune system, stimulate cell growth and differentiation, and increase endothelial permeability, among other effects. For those reasons, it has been theorized that arginine supplementation may be used as an adjuvant to conventional cancer therapy treatments. Objective: This review aims to evaluate the existing knowledge of the scientific community on arginine supplementation in order to improve the efficacy of current cancer treatment. Results: Despite the continued efforts of science to improve treatment strategies, cancer remains one of the greatest causes of death on the planet in adults and elderly people. Chemo and radiotherapy are still the most effective treatments but at the cost of significant side effects. Conclusion: Thus, new therapeutic perspectives have been studied in recent years, to be used in addition to traditional treatments or not, seeking to treat or even cure the various types of cancer with fewer side effects.

Physical Activity Level and Motor Aptitude: Motor Domains and Identification Capacity of Brazilian Insufficiently Active Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Maria Andreis ◽  
Fernando de Aguiar Lemos ◽  
Lorenna Walesca de Lima Silva ◽  
Cassiana Luiza Pistorello Garcia ◽  
Gabrielli Veras ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Activity Level ◽  
Area Under The Curve ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
General Motor ◽  
Body Scheme ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Global Coordination

Background: A decrease in the physical activity level in old age is common, which results in an increase in the number of falls and chronic conditions. Associated with that occurs the decline in motor skills as a result of the deficit in the interaction of cognitive and motor processes. Physical activity level can be associated differently with each motor domains. Objective: We analyzed the relationship between physical activity level and motor aptitude, and to identify which motor domains were most sensitive to detect insufficiently active level in older adults. Methods: Participated in the study 385 elderly people of both sexes. For the evaluation of the subjects were adopted the International Questionnaire on Physical Activity and the Motor Scale for Older Adults. Results: The majority of the elderly were active. In the comparison of motor aptitude between active and insufficiently active (IAC) elders a significant difference was found in the Global Coordination, Balance, Body Scheme and General Motor Aptitude. From the analysis of the area under the curve (AUC), we verified that these domains also were the ones that presented adequate diagnostic accuracy to identify IAC elderly. Besides that active elderly have presented the General Motor Aptitude classified within normality while the IAC below the normal. Conclusion: Our data suggest that IAC older adults present lower motor aptitude than the active elderly, especially in the domains of Global Coordination, Balance, Body Scheme and General Motor Aptitude, and that these domains were sensitive to indicate IAC older adults.

scholarly journals Caregivers’ Experiences Regarding Training and Support in the Post-Acute Home Health-Care Setting

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 561-569
Author(s):  
Jo-Ana D Chase ◽  
David Russell ◽  
Meridith Rice ◽  
Carmen Abbott ◽  
Kathryn H Bowles ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Home Health Care ◽  
Home Health ◽  
Barriers To Learning ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
Training And Support

Background: Post-acute home health-care (HHC) services provide a unique opportunity to train and support family caregivers of older adults returning home after a hospitalization. To enhance family-focused training and support strategies, we must first understand caregivers’ experiences. Objective: To explore caregivers’ experiences regarding training and support for managing older adults’ physical functioning (PF) needs in the post-acute HHC setting. Method: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured telephone interviews of 20 family caregivers. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results: We identified the following primary categories: facilitators to learning (eg, past experience, learning methods), barriers to learning (eg, learning on their own, communication, timing/logistics, preferred information and timing of information delivery), and interactions with HHC providers (eg, positive/negative interactions, provider training and knowledge). Conclusion: Caregivers were responsive to learning strategies to manage older adults’ PF needs and, importantly, voiced ideas to improve family-focused training and support. HHC providers can use these findings to tailor training and support of family caregivers in the post-acute HHC setting.

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