Field Testing of Ro-Tri, a Robot-Mediated Triadic Interaction for Older Adults

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Human-Computer Interaction
• Neuropsychiatric conditions and assistive technologies

Background:

• Apathy is prevalent in older adults in long-term care (LTC), leading to adverse health outcomes.
• Engaging interventions for apathy are often resource-intensive for LTC staff.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a socially assistive robotic (SAR) system, Ro-Tri, in fostering social interaction among older adults in LTC.
• To assess Ro-Tri's capability in automatically evaluating older adults' engagement using quantitative metrics.

Main Methods:

• A pilot field study involving seven paired participants in LTC settings over three weeks.
• Robot-mediated triadic interactions using Ro-Tri with social, physical, and cognitive activities.
• Quantitative data collection including head pose, vocal sound, and physiological signals.

Main Results:

• Ro-Tri demonstrated smooth operation with high attendance (>90%) and completion rates (100%).
• Participants showed increased visual attention towards the SAR and partners, and higher interaction effort.
• Positive perceptions of the Ro-Tri system were reported by older adults and LTC staff.

Conclusions:

• The Ro-Tri SAR system effectively engages older adults and encourages human-to-human social interaction in LTC settings.
• Quantitative metrics can be reliably used to assess engagement levels.
• Further research is warranted to determine the impact of SAR on apathy in LTC populations.