AI to work with dementia patients

[Debi]

Now you're talking: human-like robot may one day care for dementia patients

With her brown hair, soft skin and expressive face, Nadine is a new brand of human-like robot that could one day, scientists hope, be used as a personal assistant or care provider for the elderly.

The 1.7-metre tall Nadine was created in the likeness of its maker, Nadia Thalmann, a visiting professor and director of Singapore's Nanyang Technological University's Institute of Media Innovation who has spent three decades researching into virtual humans.

Nadine's software allows the robot to express a range of emotions and recall a previous conversation. Nadine is not commercially available, but Thalmann predicted robots could one day be used as companions for people living with dementia.

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First and foremost, NO! I have worked with dementia patients for 30 years....there is NO way an AI can become adaptive enough to meet the constantly changing needs of those with dementia. Period.

Second, why should those souls be cared for by a damn robot? What? We can't be human enough to care for them ourselves? ***climbing off soapbox before I loose it here****

 

[Lynne]

That will be a sad day. Some will always find a way to escape responsibility. Let's work on a clone to clean the house instead

 

[7Critter]

I would not dismiss this outright. A robot assistant would have infinite patience, could answer the same question over and over and would not get offended if it should get yelled at. I am not saying it is a complete replacement for human interaction, but it could help.

 

[Debi]

I would not dismiss this outright. A robot assistant would have infinite patience, could answer the same question over and over and would not get offended if it should get yelled at. I am not saying it is a complete replacement for human interaction, but it could help.

Perhaps, but it's been my experience that a patient would "sense" it's not a human.

 

[The Doctor]

The number of qualified, professional caretakers for the elderly is not large enough to match the population. Experts are calling it the Silver Tsunami. Any assistance would be welcome...

 

[Debi]

The number of qualified, professional caretakers for the elderly is not large enough to match the population. Experts are calling it the Silver Tsunami. Any assistance would be welcome...

Then we TRAIN all these people out of work to do that care, Doc. The reason there are not enough people is we won't train them or pay them. Worked in the field 30 years...they cut back staff constantly asking people to do more for less. The reason there aren't enough caregivers is because the big insurance companies don't WANT to pay for the damn care! Geriatrics was my field.....trust me....there would be plenty of people to go around and do the care if we had a medical system that worked as it should.

 

[7Critter]

Seems like a many welfare folks are are able bodied would fit this bill. No additional funds needed.