The effects of a companion robot for people with dementia and their carers

Paro is a Japanese robot designed to have the positive effects of a pet without the demands. Paro is an advanced interactive robot developed by the Intelligent Systems Research Institute (ISRI), a leading Japanese industrial automation pioneer. Paro is modelled after a baby Canadian harp seal and is covered in white artificial fur. It weighs approximately 2.5 kg. Paro has four senses; sight, sound, balance, and touch meaning that Paro responds to contact, as well as to other stimuli in its environment by moving or imitating the noises of a baby harp seal. Paro operates by using the three elements; its internal states, sensory information from its sensors and its own diurnal rhythm to carry out various activities during its interaction with people. Companion robots such as Paro draw on the principles of animal therapy and research conducted predominantly in Japan has found that Paro improves patient’s moods, facilitates social interactions and in general leads to higher quality of life for people in retirement care, particularly those with dementia. We propose to conduct a randomized controlled trial with 30 participants and their caregivers at an aged-care facility with eleven Paro robots to investigate effects on behavioural, neuroendocrine, social and psychological outcomes. Participants will be randomly assigned to the control group or to the Paro group using a random list generator. Participants in the intervention group will interact with the robots over 3 months, in small groups at the care facility and individually, at home. Paro group sessions will consist of a maximum of four residents to one Paro robot, which has been found to be the optimum group size. Two researchers will run 1 hour daily sessions with Paro at the daycare centre, as participants attend the daycare on various days of the week, it is expected that participants will interact with Paro between 1-3 hours per week. In addition, participants will be given the option of taking Paro home, where Paro will be available to participants 24/7, to use when needed. The interaction sessions will involve verbal communication, patting and playing with Paro. The researchers will monitor sessions with Paro and also provide instruction to caregivers concerning how to use Paro. Adherence to sessions will be monitored by researchers taking a register of participant attendance.