CARMEN, which stands for Cognitively Assistive Robot for Motivation and Neurorehabilitation, is a small robot meant to assist individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in enhancing memory, attention, and executive functioning in their homes.
Unlike other robots in this field, CARMEN was created by a research team at the University of California San Diego in partnership with healthcare professionals, individuals with MCI, and their caregivers. It is said to be the sole robot that teaches compensatory cognitive strategies to aid memory and executive function improvement. Laurel Riek, a professor at UC San Diego, expressed the importance of providing practical and valuable innovations.
MCI is a stage between normal aging and dementia that affects cognitive functions like memory, attention, and executive functioning. Around 20% of individuals over 65 suffer from this condition, with up to 15% progressing to dementia annually. While pharmaceutical treatments have not proven effective in halting or preventing this progression, behavioral interventions can be beneficial.
CARMEN is programmed to offer straightforward cognitive training exercises. For instance, it can educate users on establishing designated spots for essential items like keys and teach note-taking strategies to aid memory retention. These lessons are delivered through interactive games and activities.
The design of CARMEN was meticulously planned. It needed to be user-friendly, independent of direct oversight, low-maintenance, functional without extensive internet access, durable, and possess effective communication skills coupled with compassion and empathy towards users.
During a week-long deployment in the homes of individuals with MCI and clinicians experienced in working with such individuals, participants engaged in tasks with CARMEN, like organizing household items and scheduling tasks. Post-deployment, participants reported newfound confidence in employing cognitive strategies in their daily lives, finding the robot easy to use, and expressing a desire for further interaction.
The research team recently presented their findings at the ACM/IEEE Human Robot Interaction (HRI) conference and received a nomination for the best paper award.
Future Plans
The next phase involves deploying CARMEN in more homes and enhancing its capabilities to engage in conversations with users while prioritizing user privacy. Additionally, efforts are underway to expand CARMEN’s applications to assist individuals with conditions like ADHD.
CARMEN was modeled after the FLEXI robot from the University of Washington but underwent significant hardware modifications and had its software developed from scratch. The robot’s operating system is based on ROS.
