0. Dogg0

Introduction

According to the World Health Organization (2023), an estimated 55 million people worldwide have dementia, and this is increasing with 10 million every year. Dementia can cause memory loss, confusion, and disorientation, which can make it hard for individuals to perform everyday tasks and maintain social connections. As a result, there is a growing need to develop innovative solutions that can assist people with dementie (PwD) in performing daily tasks and increasing their quality of life. In this project 4 Master's students of the course Socio-Cognitive Engineering aimed to design a dog-like robot named Dogg0, which addresses the challenges faced by PwD.

The Dogg0 robot is intended to provide companionship and assistance to PwD who may experience loneliness, social isolation, and stress. The robot is designed to look and behave like a dog, a familiar and comforting presence for many individuals, and it will be equipped with sensors and cameras that will allow it to navigate the environment and interact with its surroundings. 

This report addresses the following research question: How can we use robotics to help people with Dementia become less lonely, increase independence, and reduce stress? To answer this question, the researchers will use the framework and methods of Socio-Cognitive Engineering (SCE) to derive a design specification that defines the system's functions in a set of use cases to bring about the desired effect. The claims will then be evaluated in an iterative process where design specifications can be validated, as taught in the course. 

We conducted an experiment where participants interacted with the Dogg0 prototype to evaluate trustworthiness, the effect on the mood of the individuals with dementia, and the functionalities of the robot. Although the preliminary results of the experiment were not yet that promising, we believe that the of potential impact of the Dogg0 robot on the lives of elderly individuals with dementia can be significant. This report will follow the methodology of SCE and the structure provided by the course to investigate how robotics can be used to help individuals with dementia become less lonely, increase independence, and reduce stress.

World Health Organization: WHO. (2023, 15 maart). Dementia. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia