Overview
Short description
The main research objective of the OurPuppet project is to show that a novel form of man-machine interaction can provide support to informal caregivers by helping the relatives who are suffering on dementia.
Furthermore, the communication between caregivers and care recipients should be fostered in order to maintain a certain level of communication continuity.
The technical system is introduced, motivated and accompanied by specially qualified puppet guides.
Our part
Our research group was responsible for
- Identifying user requirements
- The planning of the actions and dialogs that the puppet will execute to reach a specific goal that has been formulated for given situation/context
- The backend server
Partners
Description
To help people suffering on dementia and the whole family
The “Ourpuppet” project aims to support informal caregivers of people with dementia through the use of innovative human-computer interaction using a sensor-based doll (robot with a puppet look). Informal caregivers should be relieved and uncertainties should be overcome / reduced through the use of the interactive doll, especially when they are absent. The “OurPuppet” system is designed to record the emotional and health conditions of the person in need of care, identify undesirable situations and stimulate certain activities. In addition, communication between informal caregivers and those in need of care should be supported and continuity in communication should be enabled. From the users' point of view, the OurPuppet system offers the following functions: The system should recognize the context and the emotional state of the person caring for and, if necessary, notify relatives (status recording and emergency recognition). Through the targeted, context-appropriate stimulation of the person to be cared for, the person to be cared for is relieved and the person to be cared for gains in quality of life (activation and support). If the system detects a stressful situation, it should have a calming effect on the person being cared for (calming down). If the situation escalates further, the system will contact the caregiver (inform). From a technical point of view, the system takes data from sensors in the environment and from sensors that are in the doll, analyzes this data and deduces the context (the situation) in which the Ourpuppet system is located. In connection with rules that arise from specifications, expert knowledge and information from the caring relatives, the system derives an objective/goal for future action. A possible objective/goal can be, for example, that the person being cared for should be entertained. The elaboration of objectives enables the Ourpuppet system to act in a purposeful manner. Depending on the goal, appropriate individual actions can be carried out. The framework, which is used to control and monitor the course of the actions of the OurPuppet system, represents the core of the sub-project of the Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences.
Impressions & Documents
For the music we have to give credits to (music by) audionautix.com