Robot could help dementia sufferers live independently for longer

The so-called Robot Activity Support System (RAS) uses sensors embedded in the home to determine where its residents are, what they are doing and when they need assistance with daily activities.

The system navigates through rooms and around obstacles to find people, provides video instructions on how to do simple tasks and can even lead its owner to objects like their medication or a snack in the kitchen.

Currently, an estimated 50 per cent of adults over the age of 85 need assistance with every day activities such as preparing meals and taking medication. The annual cost for this assistance in the US alone is nearly $2 trillion.

With the number of adults over 85 expected to triple by 2050, the WSU team which is led by Professors Diane Cook and Maureen Schmitter-Edgecombe,  hopes that technologies like this will  alleviate some of the financial strain on the healthcare system by making it easier for older adults to live alone.