This implementation study will be conducted to test a Socially-Assistive Robot (SAR) system for residents in an Assisted Living environment. The goal of the SAR system is to enhance social engagement and connectedness. The system engages residents via robot-facilitated activities such as trivia and reminder and is integrated with the SimpleC Wellness Platform.
This is a 3-week mixed-method study to assess the installation procedure, assess user first impressions, develop training, assess user materials, and identify any barriers and concerns during implementation. New features and design will be validated. Research questions include: * How should the SAR system be introduced to the users and their environment? * What are facilitators and barriers to implementation? * Will users accept the SAR system in their environment? * What are facilitators and barriers to SAR system acceptance? * What are the desired parameters that the SAR system should have? * What social behaviors do users expect? * What tasks would be acceptable that the SAR system tablet do? * How should the SAR system's perception, competence, and awareness be presented to users? * What is most valuable to users and why? * If the answer depends, then what does it depend on (user, task, environment)? Sample: Thirty individuals will participate: 10 residents, 10 family, and 10 staff. Enrollment will stop when reaching saturation. Procedure: The research will follow established procedures for recruitment, screening, and assessment. Participants will provide informed consent, which will be followed by a baseline assessment. Participants will be screened to ascertain inclusion and exclusion criteria. Residents and Senior Housing Community will receive the new SAR system, which includes a virtual robot and physical social robot. At the beginning of the study, enrolled residents will receive a tablet with a personalized profile, wellness programs, and virtual robot using the standard SimpleC enrollment process. Installation will be followed by training. Residents and family will be invited to personalize residents' profile and programming. One social robot will be implement for the whole community. Participants will engage with the SAR system as they are willing. All staff, residents, and family will be invited to use the SAR system, independent of study participation status. At the end of the study, assessments will be administered, which is followed by a brief interview.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Once respondents enroll, they will receive the SimpleC Wellness Platform, including introduction training on the SAR system. During the study period, participants and others will receive instructions for the SAR system and use it as part of scheduled interactions, which includes interactions as part of the general schedule. In the third week, the social robot will be installed, and staff trained in group sessions as available. Participants may use the full SAR system as they are willing. Interactions specific to the virtual and physical robot include notifications to join activities as per community schedule as well as trivia.
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia, United States
SimpleC, LLC
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Facilitators to successful implementation
Identified factors that facilitate successful implementation (e.g., WiFi, environmental set up, user perceptions) as derived from analysis of: \[interview, observational notes, usage data\]
Time frame: 3 weeks
Barriers to successful implementation
Identified factors that are barriers to implementation (e.g., WiFi, environmental set up, user perceptions) as derived from: \[interview, observational notes, usage data\]
Time frame: 3 weeks
Technology Acceptance Model Questionnaire. A 12-item scale with high scores indicating higher acceptance.
\[Questionnaires\] Assessment of users' perceived ease of use, usefulness, and satisfaction of using the technology.
Time frame: 3 weeks
Technology acceptance and adoption
\[Interview\] Assessment of users acceptance and adoption ease of use, usefulness, and satisfaction of using the technology.
Time frame: 3 weeks
Robotic Social Attributes Scale (RoSAS). An 18-item scale with high scores indicating positive attitudes for dimensions of warmth and competency and a negative attitude for dimension of discomfort.
\[Questionnaire\] Perception and judgment of Social Assistive Robot social attributes on 3 dimensions: Warmth, competency, and discomfort
Time frame: 3 weeks
Robot Social Attributes
\[Interview\] Social Assistive Robot social attributes are identified (e.g., friendliness, competency, etc)
Time frame: 3 weeks
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Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
26
Usability and usefulness
Identified factors that indicate the ease of use and usefulness for different tasks as derived from analysis of: \[Interview, usage data\]
Time frame: 3 weeks
Conversation quality
\[Interview\] User perceptions on the usefulness and ease of use in conversing with the technology.
Time frame: 3 weeks
Value proposition/Economic Impact
\[Interview\] Discussions with facility staff and key decision makers to understand the value of the technology in providing social interaction and reminders to their residents.
Time frame: 3 weeks
Requirements
Identified requirements for design, training, and communication as derived from analysis of: \[Interview, observations\]
Time frame: 3 weeks
Affect
\[Interview\] Feelings of enjoyment, satisfaction, when using the technology
Time frame: 3 weeks
Guilt Scale. A 4-point scale with higher score indicating higher guilt.
\[Questionnaire\] Family caregiver feelings of guilt.
Time frame: 3 weeks