A New Era in Dementia Care A Vision for Emotionally Intelligent Companion Robots
Adey Nyamathi, Ph.D., A.N.P., F.A.A.N. Distinguished Professor Nursing Science UC Irvine
By Sarah Colwell
Dementia affects nearly 11 million Americans, with that number expected to double by 2050. Families and caregivers are faced with the difficult challenge of managing agitation and emotional distress in individuals with dementia, often leading to increased falls, hospitalizations and caregiver burnout. But what if cutting-edge technology could help ease this burden? Adey Nyamathi, Ph.D., A.N.P., F.A.A.N., a leading researcher at UC Irvine and UC Noyce Initiative scholar, is leading a team who are at the forefront of a groundbreaking initiative that combines artificial intelligence with empathetic care. Her UCNI-funded project is exploring the use of Care Companion Robots (CCR) to mitigate agitation and emotional distress in dementia patients through empathetic patient-robot interactions. A Vision for AI-Driven Care Nyamathi is leading a multi-institutional team a including experts from: UC Irvine School of Medicine, Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing at UC Irvine, Purdue University’s Department for Digital Innovation, Pepperdine School of Business, and international collaborators with NaviGAIT, a company that creates care companion robots. Together, Nyamathi and her team are expanding upon NaviGAIT’s CCR that conducts gait analysis to develop an innovative pioneering model that integrates computer vision, AI-driven emotional recognition and real-time intervention strategies to assist caregivers in managing high-risk dementia patients.
Nikil Dutt, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor
Computer Science, Cognitive Sciences, and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science UC Irvine
Jung-Ah Lee, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems UC Irvine
COMPUTATIONAL HEALTH
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