Designing socially assistive robots

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to understand stakeholders’ views on design choices associated with socially assistive robots for people with dementia. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 informal carers, one formal carer, one care centre manager, and one person with dementia. Individual semi-structured interviews lasted 45 minutes and were conducted online via the Microsoft Teams app or telephone. Interview transcripts were thematically analysed. Results Thematic analysis resulted in four main themes: physical design characteristics, functional features and abilities, data management and operational practicalities. Animal-like robots for companionship were likely to be accepted by people with dementia. Telepresence and service robots integrated into smart networks were viewed as communication and safety tools. Integrating multiple robots and smart devices could provide the level of functionality required to care for people with dementia.