Co-designing Social Robots with People Living with Dementia

The Problem

Conventional co-design methods, such as storyboarding and focus groups, are not always appropriate for people living with dementia (PLwD). In pilot robot co-design workshops in a local memory care facility, we noticed PLwD struggled to understand, express themselves, fully participate, and benefit from the experience.

Research methods

Co-design to prioritize elements of the Eden Alternative’s well-being for PLwD. The elements include
- Identity: a person's individuality, being known by others, and having a personal history and feeling of personhood. We emphasized their culture and community identity and adapted the co-design activities by merging our robot with the familiar activities that were enjoyed in their facility (i.e., sing-along, dancing, story-telling, making doll clothes for charity).
- Connectedness: people's feelings of being connected to the activity and others participating in it. We did so by connecting to the robot and the researcher through time.
- Security: feeling safe and assured in the context. This is done through letting the participants participate with the group of people they feel comfortable, hold in a public space, with the same robot, same facilitator.
- Autonomy: having the freedom to express their opinion and make and articulate their choices. We gave them choice and freedom by asking if they would like to join our research before each session, gave them aspects they could design for the robot (robot voice, dance moves, and dressing for robot), and asked them if they have further suggestions to the robot.

Research outcome

Achieved outcomes for elements of well-being:

Identity: Participants were relating to themselves and identity through activities.
Connectedness: Participants were connecting with the robot and the researcher.
Security: Positive group dynamics.
Autonomy: Participants were growing as user expert.

Key Insights

When co-designing with PLwD, it is essential to ensure that participants' well-being is prioritized so that they can actively contribute to and provide valuable insights for robot design.

Collaborators

Dr. Selma Sabanovic (supervisor), Janice K Bays, Katherine M. Tsui

Roles

Designer and writer

Skills

UX Research, UX Design, Wizard of Oz, Survey, Interview, Co-design

Reflection

This project is one that's close to my heart and soul. I truly enjoyed working with the people at the facility and was delighted with the outcome of the research. I would love to engage in more projects of a similar kind.

Short Video

(Work accepted to a DIS 2023, acceptance rate of 25% )

The attached file ©Long-Jing Hsu, Janice K Bays, Katherine M. Tsui, and Selma S ̆abanović. 2023. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here for your personal use. Not for redistribution. The definitive Version of Record was published in ACM, http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3563657.3595987.