Affordable Mobile Robots for the Elderly

The goal is to develop in three stages a new affordable robot with the participation of
Living Independently for Elders (LIFE) members and clinicians. The robot will be developed by
a multidisciplinary team headed by Dr. Yim at UPENN (PI), Dr. Lau at Savioke, and Drs.
Johnson and Cacchionne at UPENN PM&R and UPENN Nursing, respectively. The aim is to build a
low-cost robot platform that will focus on the simple, but key, repetitive, data-driven tasks
that robots do well. Rather than attempt to create a robot helper that mimics humans, the aim
is to free human caregivers from the time-consuming tasks that robots can accomplish with
facility, thereby allowing humans to focus on tasks that humans do best (i.e. human contact).
Participatory reviews of the developed prototypes will be completed at each stage (each year)
with the LIFE members and clinicians. There are three research questions the investigators
hope to answer all while building an effective system to synergistically satisfy the business
needs:

R1) Although activities of daily living (ADLs) for elder health have previously been
documented and categorized, no research has been done to characterize them from the
perspective of their feasibility of automation using an affordable mobile manipulation robot.
How can known ADLS be characterized according to how much they would benefit from robotic
assistance given varying levels of robot capabilities (mobility, limited manipulation, full
manipulation)?

R2) A manipulator arm must be safe, affordable, and performant enough to assist in ADLs for
elder heath. What new breakthroughs are required to develop new manipulation technology that
satisfies these constraints? ?

R3) A data-driven service robotics What are the concomitant key usability and acceptance of
service features required system has the potential to affect elder health in a positive way.
How can predictive service robotics best be used to maintain and improve elder health? Which
specific robot behaviors have the most impact on elders' well-being?

Inclusion Criteria:

- Elders, age 55 and older,who are members of Living Independently For Elders (LIFE) run
by the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing and their caregivers.

- Elders at Kearsley or Mercy Douglas who are 62 years and older, in imminent risk of a
nursing home placement, attends LIFE center daily (day program), able to have
activities of daily living (ADL) needs met by caregivers, able to pay required rent
for apartment, and able to function safely in community with other elders.

- Savioke may conduct additional focus groups at The Forum at Rancho San Antonio a
Continuing Care Retirement Community located in Silicon Valley.

- Clinicians will be recruited from the clinical staff working at LIFE, Kearsley, and
Mercy Douglas which consists of primary care physicians, nurses and nurse
practitioners, licensed social workers, and physical and occupational therapists.

- Caregivers will be recruited from the clinical staff working at LIFE, Kearsley, and
Mercy Douglas which consists of certified nursing assistants (CNAs).

Exclusion Criteria:

- Unable to cognitively give consent

- Unable to understand the study or refuse to comply with procedures