More than just friends: in-home use and design recommendations for sensing socially assistive robots (SARs) by older adults with depression

As healthcare turns its focus to preventative community-based interventions, there is increasing interest in using in-home technology to support this goal. This study evaluates the design and use of socially assistive robots (SARs) and sensors as in-home therapeutic support for older adults with dep...

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Main Authors: Randall Natasha, Bennett Casey C., Šabanović Selma, Nagata Shinichi, Eldridge Lori, Collins Sawyer, Piatt Jennifer A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: De Gruyter 2019-06-01
Series:Paladyn
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1515/pjbr-2019-0020
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author Randall Natasha
Bennett Casey C.
Šabanović Selma
Nagata Shinichi
Eldridge Lori
Collins Sawyer
Piatt Jennifer A.
author_facet Randall Natasha
Bennett Casey C.
Šabanović Selma
Nagata Shinichi
Eldridge Lori
Collins Sawyer
Piatt Jennifer A.
author_sort Randall Natasha
collection DOAJ
description As healthcare turns its focus to preventative community-based interventions, there is increasing interest in using in-home technology to support this goal. This study evaluates the design and use of socially assistive robots (SARs) and sensors as in-home therapeutic support for older adults with depression. The seal-like SAR Paro, along with onboard and wearable sensors, was placed in the homes of 10 older adults diagnosed with clinical depression for one month. Design workshops were conducted before and after the in-home implementation with participating older adults and clinical care staff members. Workshops showed older adults and clinicians sawseveral potential uses for robots and sensors to support in-home depression care. Long-term in-home use of the robot allowed researchers and participants to situate desired robot features in specific practices and experiences of daily life, and some user requests for functionality changed due to extended use. Sensor data showed that participants’ attitudes toward and intention to use the robot were strongly correlated with particular Circadian patterns (afternoon and evening) of robot use. Sensor data also showed that those without pets interacted with Paro significantly more than those with pets, and survey data showed they had more positive attitudes toward the SAR. Companionship, while a desired capability, emerged as insufficient to engage many older adults in long-term use of SARs in their home.
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spelling doaj.art-0756c745df924bc7b5d076338e0d45b42023-10-02T07:10:41ZengDe GruyterPaladyn2081-48362019-06-0110123725510.1515/pjbr-2019-0020pjbr-2019-0020More than just friends: in-home use and design recommendations for sensing socially assistive robots (SARs) by older adults with depressionRandall Natasha0Bennett Casey C.1Šabanović Selma2Nagata Shinichi3Eldridge Lori4Collins Sawyer5Piatt Jennifer A.6Indiana University Bloomington, USACollege of Computing and Digital Media DePaul University, USASchool of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering Indiana University, USASchool of Health Science and Wellness Northwest Missouri State University, USASchool of Public Heath Indiana University, USASawyer Collins: School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering Indiana University, USASchool of Public Heath Indiana University, USAAs healthcare turns its focus to preventative community-based interventions, there is increasing interest in using in-home technology to support this goal. This study evaluates the design and use of socially assistive robots (SARs) and sensors as in-home therapeutic support for older adults with depression. The seal-like SAR Paro, along with onboard and wearable sensors, was placed in the homes of 10 older adults diagnosed with clinical depression for one month. Design workshops were conducted before and after the in-home implementation with participating older adults and clinical care staff members. Workshops showed older adults and clinicians sawseveral potential uses for robots and sensors to support in-home depression care. Long-term in-home use of the robot allowed researchers and participants to situate desired robot features in specific practices and experiences of daily life, and some user requests for functionality changed due to extended use. Sensor data showed that participants’ attitudes toward and intention to use the robot were strongly correlated with particular Circadian patterns (afternoon and evening) of robot use. Sensor data also showed that those without pets interacted with Paro significantly more than those with pets, and survey data showed they had more positive attitudes toward the SAR. Companionship, while a desired capability, emerged as insufficient to engage many older adults in long-term use of SARs in their home.https://doi.org/10.1515/pjbr-2019-0020socially assistive roboticshome and social robot designembedded sensorsdepression management and therapy in older adultshuman-robot interaction
spellingShingle Randall Natasha
Bennett Casey C.
Šabanović Selma
Nagata Shinichi
Eldridge Lori
Collins Sawyer
Piatt Jennifer A.
More than just friends: in-home use and design recommendations for sensing socially assistive robots (SARs) by older adults with depression
Paladyn
socially assistive robotics
home and social robot design
embedded sensors
depression management and therapy in older adults
human-robot interaction
title More than just friends: in-home use and design recommendations for sensing socially assistive robots (SARs) by older adults with depression
title_full More than just friends: in-home use and design recommendations for sensing socially assistive robots (SARs) by older adults with depression
title_fullStr More than just friends: in-home use and design recommendations for sensing socially assistive robots (SARs) by older adults with depression
title_full_unstemmed More than just friends: in-home use and design recommendations for sensing socially assistive robots (SARs) by older adults with depression
title_short More than just friends: in-home use and design recommendations for sensing socially assistive robots (SARs) by older adults with depression
title_sort more than just friends in home use and design recommendations for sensing socially assistive robots sars by older adults with depression
topic socially assistive robotics
home and social robot design
embedded sensors
depression management and therapy in older adults
human-robot interaction
url https://doi.org/10.1515/pjbr-2019-0020
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