As mentioned in Functions, there are two functions. However, due to the scope of the course, we will focus on the first function: Walking with the MiRo. Due to the scope of this project and the limitations of the MiRo, we will not evaluate Snoezelen as our second function. It is however described within the context of claims to demonstrate how Snoezelen with a future MiRo may affect different persons with dementia.

Key terms: Person with Dementia (PwD)

For the both functions, we will outline the positive as well as the negative effects for each persona and their interaction on the storyboard. Finally, we will construct a claim from these effects.

Walking with the MiRo

Effects on Personas

Cornelia (PwD who likes dogs)

After walking with the MiRo, Cornelia will feel happier as she was able to rekindle some nostalgic memories she obtained when walking with the former dog she used to own. In addition, her mood will increase as she managed to do some exercise. Cornelia's introvertedness and independence make her reluctant to bother her loved ones or caretakers to go on a walk with her. As such she is relieved that the MiRo allows her to regain some of her former autonomy she used to enjoy. 

That being said, she may grow fond of walking with the MiRo and exert her own body by walking more than she can handle at her age. Moreover, the MiRo might not be able to assist her immediately if Cornelia gets injured herself by walking into obstacles or tripping over the MiRo.

Constantijn (PwD who dislikes dogs)

After walking with the MiRo, Constantijn will feel elated that he was able to leave his room at all. Constantijn is known for his eagerness to talk to his co-residents and the MiRo allows him to fulfill his desire. Although he is less bothered by the lack of autonomy, it does provide him with a little boost in self-confidence as he was able to accomplish his goal. However, Constantijn's aversion for dogs will make him want to walk away from the MiRo. This can lead to undesired results such as additional care needed from caretakers and Constantijn may end up being punished by not being able to go out on his own due to non-compliance from his walk with the MiRo. When this scenario occurs, his autonomy will be severely reduced and make him utterly depressed. 

Marcus (PwD who's indifferent about dogs)

A major positive effect that the MiRo has on Marcus is that Marcus was able to receive medical assistance, because the MiRo was able to call for help. Walking with the MiRo itself did not provide Marcus with negative effects as the MiRo did what it could do within its limits. A similar accident could have occurred with the presence of a less experienced caretaker who would not notice that Marcus pushed beyond his walking capabilities. Generally, Marcus is not keen on trying again, because of the experience and not necessarily because of the MiRo. In conclusion, PwDs like Marcus may discontinue the use of MiRo for walking, because of external factors that are independent of the MiRo's behavior and appearance. To mitigate the effect of these factors, personalizing the MiRo to the individual PwD's desires and needs is of utmost significance.

Importance of Autonomy

Autonomy is important for People with Dementia as that will make them more motivated (Deci & Ryan, 1985) to walk with the MiRo. Being connected with oneself and others (Han et al., 2015, p. 118) is crucial for PwD. The lack of autonomy is an insurmountable barrier to overcome for PwD. This is emphasized, because this factor outweighs any initial hurdles that may be introduced with the arrival of new technology such as the MiRo robot. 

Autonomy not only implies being capable to perform certain actions, but also the freedom to decide to engage in a certain activity. As mentioned by (Tyrrell et al., 2006), patients who reside in a care home experience less freedom of choice and more that any choice regarding their own care is imposed on them by others. In the same study, it was reported that more than a third of patients interviewed (n = 21) were not informed at all about their options. So, careful consideration must be applied to present these to a PwD to ensure that they are involved and understand.  

Claim

Given positive and negative effects of walking with WAF, it is clear that people with opposing views on dogs can still reap the benefits that come with walking with the MiRo. It should be noted though that there are issues, which are mentioned under Environments, which need to be addressed to mitigate any unnerving effects that the MiRo has on PwD and their surrounding stakeholders.

Therefore, we claim that a PwD experiences an increase in perceived autonomy compared to walking with a caretaker (1). In order to support the claim, we will experimentally verify whether the MiRo can provide effective guidance on a pre-determined route and that the regained autonomy outweighs delayed assistance from human caretakers in case PwD find themselves in trouble during their walk.
Furthermore, we claim the following

2. PwD feels increased freedom to take breaks and to interact in a social context during a walk with WAF in comparison with a caretaker
3. WAF can grab the attention of a PwD when needed and with minimal annoyance
4. PwD experiences minimal hindrance of WAF in terms of proximity and walking speed

Our experimental setup is mentioned under: Test

Snoezelen with MiRo

As snoezelen is considered as an additional function, none of the Personas constructed have attributes that would make them more or less inclined to engage in Snoezelen. For the purpose of Snoezelen, we distinguish between two types of PwD. One that likes Snoezelen and one that does not. 

PwD who likes Snoezelen

The sensory stimuli produced by the Miro can calm down the PwD when they are distraught. Snoezelen helps with the stimulation of one's mind and encourages PwD to pet the miro to observe a spectrum of LEDs and listen to calming and relaxing sounds.

However, if the PwD has any auditory or visual impairments, then these could alter the experience and the effectiveness of Snoezelen with Miro. In addition, epillepsy, sensitive hearing or similar sensory disorders may cause the PwD to be overwhelmed. As such, the Miro should be able to adapt to each different PwD. Modifications include: changing the volume of sounds, removing (relatively) high-pitched noises and removing visual patterns that may induce epilleptic attacks.

PwD who dislikes Snoezelen

Even if the PwD is disinterested initially, they may still have the innate desire to explore the association between touching the Miro and its response. If the PwD decides afterwards that they do not wish to continue Snoezelen, they may still benefit from experiencing a mind stimulating novel activity. Otherwise, they may grow fond of Snoezelen in subsequent sessions.

PwD who dislikes Snoezelen may experience similar negative effects as the PwD who likes Snoezelen, but the former group will be more perceptive to these effects as it reinforces their already existing disliking for this activity.

Claim

Snoezelen with the MiRo may benefit those who need it. Whether Snoezelen with the MiRo is successful depends on factors such as: inclination of PwD, PwD's first impression (after one session) and customizability. People tend to implicitly reinforce their own biases and may be thrown off by the MiRo's appearance and behavior during Snoezelen. If the aforementioned factors are taken care of, then one can safely claim that PwD will become either more relaxed at best or not bothered at worst by the Miro at all. To emphasize on customizability, it is important to have the Miro programmed to accommodate for sensitivity of each different PwD. As failing to do so, may cause long-term mental trauma or physical injury for PwD. Due to the highly personalized approach in combination with technical limitations, this claim will not be evaluated.