Stretching their Reach: Robotic Support for Older Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment, Early Alzheimer's Dementia, and Mobility Impairments

摘要 辅助机器人具有增强个体自主性、减轻人类负担和降低 与轻度认知障碍(MCI)、阿尔茨海默氏症(AD)和行动不便相关的医疗费用 老年人、家庭护理伙伴和专业照顾者的障碍。StretchTM是一款机器人，旨在 通过使用安装在移动底座上的轻型伸缩臂来支持日常活动。这 第二阶段SBIR提案建立在授予Hello Robot的成功第一阶段项目(R43AG072982)和 伊利诺伊大学香槟分校，在那里我们进行了参与式设计研究，以开发 并测试伸展辅助机器人可以执行的一系列任务，以支持独立性，增强安全性， 并提高老年人的生活质量。我们确定了较旧任务的特定特征 成年人在家中需要支撑；设计用于伸展的末端执行器工具以促进这些工具的执行 任务；并设计了一个易于使用的界面来控制伸展来执行这些任务。在此阶段II中 建议我们与ClarkLindsey Life Plan社区合作，扩大Stretch可以执行的任务集， 重点关注两大类任务(认知和身体)，以支持老年人的需求 认知障碍(MCI/早期AD)和/或行动障碍。我们将改进远程控制界面，以 可供专业照顾者和家庭护理伙伴使用，并开发一套自主活动 这种延伸是可以进行的。我们将探索Stretch在一系列家庭环境中的功能效用， 包括有多人的休息室。这些努力将产生可扩展的、负担得起的、灵活的延伸 认知和身体助手，可以改善老年人的生活质量，具有一系列认知 以及身体上的损伤。研究目标将通过以下具体目标来实现： 目标1：完善和扩大Stretch的功能，以支持老年人 认知障碍和身体障碍。目标2：改进每个应用程序的用户界面设计 利益相关者群体：有认知和身体障碍的老年人、专业照顾者和家庭 关爱伙伴。将远程启动的任务与自主任务性能相集成。目标3：行为 在自然主义环境中嵌入评估。这一第二阶段的提案直接满足了NIH的多个方面 PAS-19-316以开发用于家庭使用或用于协调或提供服务以维持的新技术 为患有MCI或AD/ADRD的个人提供居家生活；设计可支持 一个人为了在被诊断出患有癌症时保持或改善她/他的独立性、安全性和幸福感 AD/ADRD和减轻护理负担；以及开发用于监测、协助或维护的新技术 患有AD/ADRD和其他认知障碍的老年人的日常功能。拉伸认知 物理助理机器人具有巨大的潜力，可以支持老年人的日常家庭活动 MCI、AD和/或行动障碍，为他们提供了自主权和更高的生活质量。

Abstract Assistive robots have the potential to enhance individual autonomy, reduce human burden, and lower healthcare costs associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s dementia (AD), and mobility impairments in older adults, family care partners, and professional caregivers. StretchTM is a robot designed to support everyday activities through use of a lightweight telescoping arm mounted on a mobile base. This Phase II SBIR proposal builds on a successful Phase I project (R43AG072982) awarded to Hello Robot and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, wherein we conducted participatory design research to develop and test a suite of tasks that the Stretch assistive robot can perform to support independence, enhance safety, and improve quality of life for older adults. We identified the specific characteristics of the tasks for which older adults need support in their homes; designed end effector tools for Stretch to facilitate performance of these tasks; and designed an easy-to-use interface to control Stretch to carry out these tasks. In this Phase II proposal we partner with ClarkLindsey Life Plan Community to broaden the set of tasks Stretch can perform, focusing on two general categories of tasks (cognitive and physical) to support the needs of older adults with cognitive impairment (MCI/early AD) and/or mobility impairment. We will refine the remote control interface to be usable for professional caregivers and family care partners and develop a suite of autonomous activities that Stretch can carry out. We will explore the functional utility of Stretch in a range of home environments, including common rooms with multiple people. These efforts will yield a scalable, affordable, flexible Stretch Cognitive and Physical Assistant that can improve the quality of life for older adults with a range of cognitive and physical impairments. The research objectives will be accomplished through the following specific aims: Aim 1: Refine and broaden the functional capabilities of Stretch to support older adults with a range of cognitive impairments and physical impairments. Aim 2: Advance the design of the user interfaces for each stakeholder group: older adults with cognitive and physical impairments, professional caregivers, and family care partners. Integrate remotely initiated tasks with autonomous task performance. Aim 3: Conduct embedded evaluations in naturalistic settings. This Phase II proposal directly meets multiple aspects of the NIH PAS-19-316 to develop “New technologies for in-home use or for coordination or delivery of services to sustain in-home living for individuals with MCI or AD/ADRD;” to design “Assistive robotics technology that can support a person in order to maintain or improve her/his independence, safety, and well-being when diagnosed with AD/ADRD and alleviate the burden of care;” and to develop “Novel technologies to monitor, assist, or maintain daily functioning of older individuals with AD/ADRD and other cognitive impairments.” The Stretch Cognitive and Physical Assistant robot has tremendous potential to support everyday home activities for older adults with MCI, AD, and/or mobility impairments, providing them with autonomy and increased quality of life.