Dementia patients prefer realistic movements and authentic animal behaviors in robots
Tom Stevens · Dogs Evolved Unique Eye Muscles Just to Make You Care for Them · Dec 26, 2023 · at 37:02
Tom Stevens, founder of Tombot, discusses design insights and clinical user research for robotic companion pets tailored for seniors with dementia.
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“When we studied seniors with dementia there were three major hypotheses that we confirmed in our testing. One is they like things that move over things that don't move. So the reason why they prefer a robotic dog to a stuffed animal or a human baby doll. Secondly, they like realistic appearance. They like the fact that it looks like something that they're already familiar with. It looks like a dog or it looks like a cat. It doesn't look like a toy. It doesn't look like a cartoon. And then thirdly, the behaviors are realistic. That the sounds that come out of its mouth are authentic. That the movements, the actions, the behaviors that that the dog is able to emulate are authentic.”
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