User-Centered Design of Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT) for People Living with Dementia

Abstract As the population of persons living with dementia (PwDs) continues to rise, technological advancements offer an unprecedented opportunity to enhance their independence and quality of life while lowering the burden on the caregivers. Notably, the Internet of Things (IoT) has demonstrated significant assistive potential, yet it has some inherent limitations, such as a lack of physical embodiment and mobility capabilities. These are vital characteristics that robotics uniquely provide making it is an ideal complement to IoT. However, the potential of dementia-specific applications that integrate the strengths of IoT and robotics remain largely underexplored in current research. Hence, this work presents a proof-of-concept Internet of Robotics Things (IoRT) system for PwDs based on participatory design sessions with dementia care professionals (DCPs). The system includes capabilities such as personalised reminders for drinking and medication-taking activities and memory exercises for cognitive stimulation. An initial evaluation of the system by DCPs was used to formulate further core design recommendations for an IoRT platform tailored for PwDs. This includes incorporating lucidity detection and a private cloud for data management.