Gry Bruun Grønborg

Background: Approximately 50 million people worldwide are living with dementia. Social robots have been developed and tested to determine whether they improve the quality of life for persons with dementia. A new mobile social robot called LOVOT has artificial intelligence and sensor technologies built in. LOVOT, which is manufactured in Japan, has not yet been tested for use by persons with dementia. Objective: This study aimed to explore how the social robot LOVOT interacts with persons with dementia and how health care professionals experience working with LOVOT in their interaction with persons with dementia. Methods: The study was carried out at 3 nursing homes in Denmark, all with specialized units for persons with dementia. The interaction between the persons with dementia and LOVOT was tested in both individual sessions for 4 weeks and group sessions for 12 weeks. A total of 42 persons were included in the study, of which 12 were allocated to the individual sessions. A triangulation of data collection techniques was used: the World Health Organization-5 questionnaire, face scale, participant observation, and semistructured focus group interviews with health care professionals (n=3). Results: There were no clinically significant changes in the well-being of the persons with dementia followed in the individual or group interaction sessions over time. The results from the face scale showed that in both the individual and group sessions, persons with dementia tended to express more positive facial expressions after the sessions. Findings on how persons with dementia experienced their interaction with LOVOT can be stated in terms of the following themes: LOVOT opens up communication and interaction; provides entertainment; creates a breathing space; is accepted and creates joy; induces feelings of care; can create an overstimulation of feelings; is not accepted; is perceived as an animal; is perceived as being nondemanding; and prevents touch deprivation. Findings regarding the health care professionals’ experiences using LOVOT were as follows: the artificial behavior seems natural; and it is a communication tool that can stimulate, create feelings of security, and open up communication. Our findings indicate that the social robot is a tool that can be used in interactions with persons with dementia. Conclusions: The LOVOT robot is the next generation of social robots with advanced artificial intelligence. The vast majority of persons with dementia accepted the social robot LOVOT. LOVOT had positive effects, opened up communication, and facilitated interpersonal interaction. Although LOVOT did not create noticeable effects on social well-being, it gave individual persons a respite from everyday life. Some residents were overstimulated by emotions after interacting with LOVOT. Health care professionals accepted the social robot and view LOVOT as a new tool in the work with persons with dementia.

BACKGROUND Approximately 50 million people worldwide suffer from dementia. New technological innovations like social robots have been tested, assessing whether they could make a difference for persons living with dementia. Social robots are designed to interact with humans to increase social interaction and improve well-being. A new mobile social robot called LOVOT, manufactured in Japan, has artificial intelligence and sensor technologies built into the robot. LOVOT has not yet been tested among elderly with dementia. OBJECTIVE This study aims to explore how the social robot LOVOT interacts with elderly persons with dementia and how healthcare professionals experience working with LOVOT in the professionals’ interaction with elderly persons with dementia. METHODS The study took place at three nursing homes in Denmark, all with specialized units for persons with dementia. The interaction between the elderly persons and LOVOT was tested in both individual sessions for 4 weeks and group sessions for 12 weeks. A total of 42 elderly persons were included in the study. 12 persons with dementia were allocated to the individual sessions and 30 persons were allocated to the group sessions. A triangulation of data collection techniques was used: WHO-5 questionnaire, face scale, participant observation and semi-structured focus group interviews with healthcare professionals (n=2). RESULTS There were no clinically significant changes in the well-being of the persons with dementia that followed the individual or group sessions over time. Results from the face scale showed that in both the individual and group sessions, the persons with dementia tended to express more positive facial expressions after the sessions. Findings on how the elderly experienced their interaction with LOVOT can be stated like: opens up for communication and interaction; entertainment; creates a breathing space; LOVOT is accepted and creates joy; induces feelings of care; overstimulation of feelings; LOVOT is not accepted; LOVOT is perceived as an animal; LOVOT is perceived as being non-demanding and prevents touch deprivation. Findings on the healthcare professionals’ experiences using LOVOT are: artificial behaviour seems natural; communication tool that can stimulate, create feelings of security, and open up for communication. The social robot as a new tool that can be used in interactions with elderly persons with dementia. CONCLUSIONS Persons with dementia accepted the social robot LOVOT, while a few residents were did not accept LOVOT. LOVOT had positive effect, opened up for communication and interaction. LOVOT did not create an effect on social well-being over time, but gave individual persons a respite from everyday life . Some residents were overstimulated by emotions after interacting with LOVOT. Healthcare professionals accepted the social robot and described the artificial behaviour as natural and see LOVOT as a new tool in the work with persons with dementia.