Therefore, BPSD reduction is a major social challenge. Such problems force caregivers to pay more attention to such people, which in turn increases their burden as well as the care costs. 40–50% of those with dementia suffer from cognitive, psychological, and behavioral problems (behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia: BPSD), including hallucinations, depression, and agitation ( Cerejeira et al., 2012). We also discuss the importance of a minimal design approach in elderly care during post–COVID-19 world.ĭementia is a major cause of dependency and disability in older adults and significantly impacts them as well as their families, caregivers, and society. Although we did not find any significant difference between HIRO and an infant-like robot with a smiling face, a field study showed that HIRO was accepted by older adults with dementia and facilitated positive interaction by stimulating their imagination. The recorded voice of a real human infant emitted by robots enhances the robot’s human-likeness and facilitates positive interaction between older adults and the robot.

Based on this approach, we developed HIRO, a baby-sized robot with an abstract body representation and no facial features. Our approach stimulates their imaginations and then facilitates positive engagement with the robot by just expressing the most basic elements of humanlike features.

We introduce a minimal design approach to manufacture an infant-like robot for interactive doll therapy that provides emotional interactions for older people with dementia.

3Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.

2Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Ishikawa, Japan.1Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan.Hidenobu Sumioka 1*, Nobuo Yamato 2, Masahiro Shiomi 1 and Hiroshi Ishiguro 1,3

Design doll review program