Minnesota Nursing Homes Receives Humanoid Robots for Elderly, Dementia Care

A set of humanoid machines have been provided throughout nursing homes in Minnesota. The main focus of the robots is to give proper care to the community, especially to those diagnosed with dementia-related illnesses such as Alzheimer's.

Humanoid Robots in Assisted Living Facilities of Minnesota

(Photo: JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images)
A fairgoer interacts with Pepper, a humanoid robot manufactured by SoftBank Robotics, at the SoftBank Robotics exhibition stand during the VivaTech trade fair (Viva Technology) on May 25, 2018, in Paris.

The humanoid robots were assembled by scientists from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Based on the software programmed into the machines, individuals in assisted living communities could be supported with the common needs they hardly get due to isolation and limited social interaction.

Among the services, these robots cater to are all targeted to improve nursing home residents' physical, emotional, and cognitive health. Both the state and the developer selected groups affected with dementia for the first few phases of the program.

UMD's College of Science and Engineering specialist Arshia Khan, who also led the humanoid project, explained that their team is excited to provide a new and better approach to the care of the elderly in the state's nursing homes.

One of the robots Khan's team and SoftBank assembled is the two-foot model named NAO. Its partner is the four-foot machine called Pepper.

According to a report by Daily Mail, Khan said that these models were provided not to replace the human workers at assisted living facilities but rather to help them by providing other previously limited needs.

NAO and Pepper focus more on the emotional and cognitive side of the work. Through the things they are programmed to do, older adults will have the time to exercise their skills regardless of whether human workers are available.

Rosie the robot is one of many being rolled out to provide entertainment and well-being checks at nursing homes. It has working legs and arms and can lead a group of seniors in a yoga or exercise session. (Though it may have danced a little too hard at the end there.) pic.twitter.com/lxUEkUyCyd
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Improving Quality of Life in Nursing Homes Through Robotics

Skills that these humanoids could process are intended to improve a person's mood by simply talking to them and through other interactive activities such as telling stories and jokes.

The robots were also programmed with a process called reminiscence therapy. This feature exercises the elderly to recall and identify materials, events, and people that were part of the subject's past. The routine would be applied routinely for the residents to regain their precious memories.

This memory and recognition exercise uses applications such as music, images, and video clips projected by NAO and Pepper. All materials were modified depending on the records provided by the patients and their families.

The humanoids are not limited to providing media related to older adults, as their physical bodies could interact with the people by walking, dancing, and singing.

The goal of this project is to improve the quality of life of the elderly as well as those who are living with dementia, Khan emphasized.

Her experience inspired Khan's interest in using humanoid robots for care facilities. Based on the situation she observed from her father, elderlies who have other health conditions need to be assisted by helpers that are constantly by their side at any time of the day.