Group's Core Theoretical Foundation

In this section, we discuss the core theoretical foundation of WAF. We discuss the problem and context, the current situation, and how WAF is supposed to solve the problem. 

People with dementia (PwDs) do not want to sit in care homes all day long. Sometimes, they want to take a walk, which is a good thing. Not only is walking healthy for people in general, but it can also slow cognitive decline as well (Kermoun G. et al, 2010). Unfortunately, their dementia poses some concerns. The main concern is that PwDs might get lost during their walks because they get distracted or forget where they are or what they were doing. Additionally, most PwDs are elderly and may not be physically strong enough to get up if they accidentally fall down. 

One way to solve these problems is to always have a caretaker accompany PwDs during walks, but this is not an ideal solutions. Often, care homes have a limited budget and can therefore only afford limited staff. Some PwDs may also not want to walk with a caretaker as they would like to have some sense of independence and autonomy. Support animals such as dogs could be employed instead, but these require a lot of training and care and they cannot help in every situation. 

This is where WAF comes into play. WAF is a robotic partner that resembles a dog and is specifically designed to guide PwDs during their walks. It can attract the attention of the PwDs if they get lost and guide them safely back home. In the case that a PwD falls and cannot get back up or some other emergency occurs, it can sound an alarm to attract the attention of nearby caretakers. WAF is cost-effective, efficient, and scalable as it requires little maintenance once it has been employed.