MARIO Project: A Multicenter Survey About Companion Robot Acceptability in Caregivers of Patients with Dementia

Abstract

In the frame of the European Community funded MARIO, caregivers of 139 dementia patients were recruited in National University of Ireland (NUIG), in Geriatrics Unit of IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”-Italy (IRCCS) and in Alzheimer Association Bari-Italy (AAB) for a multicenter survey on to determine the needs and preferences of caregivers for improving the assistance of dementia patients, and guiding technological development of MARIO. A six minute video on technological devices and functions of MARIO was showed, and all caregivers fulfilled a 43-item questionnaire that explored four areas: (A) Acceptability, (B) Functionality, (C) Support devices, and (D) Impact. Caregivers declared that to facilitate acceptance (over 17.5%) and to improve functionality of MARIO (over 29%) should be important/likely/useful. Over 20.3% of caregivers reported that following support devices in MARIO could be useful for their patients: (1) for monitoring bed-rest and movements, (2) for monitoring the medication use, (3) for monitoring the ambient environmental conditions, (4) for regulating heating, humidity, lighting and TV channel, (5) for undertaking comprehensive geriatric assessment, (6) for link to care planning, (7) for monitoring physiological deterioration, and (8) for monitoring cognitive deterioration. Over 21.8% of caregivers declared that MARIO should be useful to improve quality of life, quality of care, safety, emergency communications, home-based physical and/or cognitive rehabilitation programs, and to detect isolation and health status changes of their patients. MARIO is a novel approach employing robot companions, and its effect will be: (1) to facilitate and support persons with dementia and their caregivers, and (2) reduce social exclusion and isolation.

Grazia D’Onofrio—Macroarea of interest: Disability and rehabilitation.

Appendix 1: Mario Questionnaire on the Use of Companion Robotics

• Section A: Acceptability

• 1. How Important is that MARIO has a human like appearance?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 2. How important is it that MARIO has a human sounding voice?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 3. How important is it that MARIO has a familiar voice?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 4. How important is it that MARIO has an exterior or covering that people like to touch?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 5. How Important is that MARIO height is adjustable?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 6. How important is it that MARIO can communicate non verbally e.g. smiling or raising eyebrows?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 7. How important is it that MARIO displays emotional expression?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 8. To what extent do you think it likely that your patients would agree to having MARIO for daily assistance in the home to remind them to take medicines, eat and drink, buy food, a tracking mechanism to find easily Important personal objects (keys, teeth, purse or glasses), etc.:

Not at all likely

Slightly likely

Moderately likely

Very likely

Extremely likely

• 9. To what extent do you think that your patients would agree to having MARIO monitor and track their movements in the house, or outside the house?

Not at all likely

Slightly likely

Moderately likely

Very likely

Extremely likely

• 10. To what extent do you think that your patients would agree to having MARIO provide entertainment, mind games (e.g. showing pictures of family members), a reminder for favourite TV programmes etc.

Not at all likely

Slightly likely

Moderately likely

Very likely

Extremely likely

• 11. To what extent do you think that your patients would accept MARIO as to stay connected to and communicate with family, friends and professional caregivers, (e.g. an easy to use touch screen with pictures and names of the family members)?

Not at all likely

Slightly likely

Moderately likely

Very likely

Extremely likely

• 12. How important is it that the robot can be quiet?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 13. How important is it that the robot takes up no more room than a person while moving about?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 14. How important is it that the robot require internet connection (house without broadband coverage)?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 15. Please rank in order of importance from 1–7 (with 1 being the most Important and 7 being the least important) the features of appearance listed below:

Appearance features	Ranking 1–7
a. Human like appearance
b. Human sounding voice
c. Familiar voice
d. Has an exterior or covering that people like to touch
e. Adjustable height
f. Displays emotional expression
g. Communicates non verbally

• Section B: Functionality

• 1. How important is it that MARIO has face recognition?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 2. How important is it that MARIO has voice recognition?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 3. How important is it that MARIO can distinguish individuals within a group?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 4. How important is it that MARIO has the capacity for natural dialogue?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 5. How important is it that MARIO has a detachable device that can be used outside the house (e.g. GPS function for shopping)?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 6. How Important is it that MARIO can provide prompts for appointments/social events/date and time?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 7. How important is it that MARIO can store and utilise information from a person’s life history?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 8. How important is it that MARIO can utilise multimedia to communicate (e.g. read a book, Skype, play music)?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 9. How important is it that MARIO has voice activation?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 10. How important is it that MARIO has gesture recognition?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 11. How important is it that MARIO could help subjects with walking or stand-up?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 12. How important is it that MARIO can understand dialects?

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

• 13. How useful would a detachable device be that allowed MARIO to provide advice and support when you are ou of the house? Eg (GPS function for finding the way to the shops and back home again)

Not at all useful

Slightly useful

Moderately useful

Very useful

Extremely useful

• Section C: Support Devices

To what extent do you think that the following support devices in MARIO could be useful for your patients:
1. Devices for monitoring bed-rest and movements of your patient, such as integrated video/sound systems and imbalance sensors, inside of his/her home to reduce the risk of falls	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
2. Devices for monitoring the medication use, such as pill dispenser and/or time schedule reminder system, to avoid errors in drug use by your patients	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
3. Devices for monitoring the ambient environmental conditions, (i.e. security systems to control temperature, gas-smoke, lights, humidity, entrance-exits of main doors etc.) to improve the safety and wellness of your patients	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
4. Devices for regulating heating, humidity, lighting, TV channel	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
5. Devices for undertaking comprehensive geriatric assessment	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
6. Devices that link to care planning	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
7. Devices for monitoring physiological deterioration	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
8. Devices for monitoring cognitive deterioration	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful

• Section D: Impact of Mario

To what extent do you think MARIO could be useful in order to:
1. Improve the quality of life of your patients	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
2. Improve the quality of care that you provide to your patients	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
3. Improve the safety in the daily living activities of your patients	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
4. Carry out emergency communication/alert messages	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
5. Improve the care provided; home-based physical and/or cognitive rehabilitation programs of your patients	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
6. Detect when a person is becoming more lonely and isolated	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful
7. Detect health status changes	$\square$ Not useful at all $\square$ YES, low level of usefulness $\square$ YES, moderately useful $\square$ YES, very useful

• 8. What other functions do you think MARIO should have to increase independent living for your patients?

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