PFI:BIC - Next Generation Robotic Intelligence that Provides Psycho-Social Support for Older Adults

老龄化的美国正在挑战美国的医疗体系。当前和未来的卫生保健人员以及家庭护理人员将无法治疗甚至监测老年人面临的各种挑战，从焦虑到孤独，从痴呆到身体残疾。该项目开发了负担得起的老年人支持机器人智能（ARIES），作为应对这些挑战的一个要素。技术不会也不应该取代训练有素的保健专业人员或亲密的家庭成员；但科技可以减轻家庭成员和医疗系统的负担。白羊座会在日常生活中承担一些小而有挑战性的任务，比如找钥匙或老花镜；记得服药或预约；与朋友和家人联系；缓解焦虑和孤独。为了有效地完成这些任务，ARIES必须易于理解和可靠，研究团队正在开发创新的技术解决方案来实现这些目标。白羊座计划最重要的成果将是促进和改善老年人口的保健，使更多的人能够在自己的家中继续充实生活。项目团队利用来自认知和行为科学、老年精神病学、计算机科学和工业设计的新颖研究见解，以及行业合作伙伴孩之宝在有效、负担得起的工程方面的专业知识。研究人员将(a)使用行为科学方法来评估老年人日常生活的主要挑战，一个小型的，负担得起的机器人系统可以帮助；(b)应用包容性设计原则和尖端计算机科学，开发一种类似动物的小型机器人，以缓解这些挑战；(c)对发达的系统进行系统评估？在健康成人和有认知障碍的老年人的试验床上的安全性、有效性和可接受性。从计算机科学的角度来看，该项目将扩展终端用户编程的前沿，并允许用户和机器人进行相互教与学。该项目还将引领目标跟踪和定位技术的工程进步，并通过利用智能手机功能扩展机器人技能。从心理学的角度来看，该项目将为人机交互提供新颖的见解（特别是当用户没有技术专长时），以及在机器人技术的功能和外观的优化设计方面取得进步，以造福人类。

An aging America is challenging the U.S. healthcare system. Current and future health-care personnel, along with family caregivers, will be unable to treat or even monitor the wide-ranging challenges of the aging population from anxiety to loneliness, from dementia to physical disability. This project develops Affordable Robotic Intelligence for Elderly Support (ARIES) as one element in meeting these challenges. Technology will not, and should not, replace trained health-care professionals or close members of the family; but technology can lighten the burden on family members and the healthcare system. ARIES will provide affordable assistance with small but challenging tasks of daily living, such as finding keys or reading glasses; remembering medication or appointments; connecting with friends and family; and relieving agitation and loneliness. To be effective in these tasks, ARIES must be easily understandable and reliable, and the research team is developing innovative technological solutions to meet these goals. The most significant outcome of ARIES will be to facilitate and improve health care for older populations and enable more people to continue fulfilling lives in their own homes. The project team harnesses novel research insights from the cognitive and behavioral sciences, geriatric psychiatry, computer science, and industrial design, as well as industry partner Hasbro's expertise in effective, affordable engineering. The researchers will (a) use behavioral science methods to assess older adults' major challenges of daily living with which a small, affordable robotic system can assist; (b) apply inclusive design principles and cutting-edge computer science to develop a small animal-like robot that can alleviate these challenges; and (c) provide a systematic assessment of the developed system?s safety, efficacy, and acceptability in test beds with healthy adults as well as older people with cognitive impairments. From a computer science perspective, this project will expand the frontiers of end-user programming and allow user and robot to engage in mutual teaching and learning. The project is also poised to lead to engineering advances in object tracking and location technology and in the expansion of robot skills by levering smartphone capabilities. From a psychological perspective, the project will provide novel insights into human-robot interaction (especially when the user has no technical expertise) as well as advances in the optimal design of function and appearance in robotic technology for human benefits.