Robot design to aid health
A REVOLUTIONARY robot whose sole purpose will be improving the quality of life of dementia sufferers is being created on the Gold Coast.
The brainchild of Griffith University Industrial Design PHD Matthew Green, the robot will be specially designed to offer targeted social assistance.
But in order to ensure they’re fit for purpose, Mr Green is seeking input from carers of people with dementia, saying their help will be “pivotal” in ensuring the robots operate effectively.
“There are very few robots that are specifically designed for people with dementia, the majority of them have been adapted from other robots,” he said.
“These robots may not be appropriate for people with dementia. So what we’re doing is designing a person-centred robot to assist people with dementia.
“We are looking to improve their quality of life by asking what people want in an assistive robot. Should it look like an animal, or do people prefer a more mechanical-looking robot.”
Close to 500,000 Australians live with dementia and 70 per cent of those live in the community. This total is expected to balloon to more than one million by 2058.
“Until there is a cure, it will continue to be a growing challenge,” he said.
Mr Green said there are nearly 1.6 million people involved in the care of people with dementia with more than two-thirds of aged care residents having moderate to severe dementia.
He said carers had a wealth of knowledge and practical experience and he wanted to understand the preferences and opinions of carers.
In order to design a completely new robot from a blank sheet, he’s undertaking an “extremely complex and comprehensive” study into functionality, aesthetics, materials, weights and how to overcome perceptions.
“Most studies have under 20 participants and do not cross boundaries. This covers all aspects of industrial design and is very unique. The research will provide plenty of unique data never seen before on scales that provide certainty.
“Along with surveys designed for people with dementia, we have crafted separate surveys to gather the opinions of informal carers, formal carers and care providers.
“We appreciate every response and each and every response is a vital piece of the puzzle to aid us in understanding dementia.”
The survey can be found at researchdementia.com. Carers happy to be interviewed in February can register on the same website or email matthew.green@griffithuni.edu.au