Socially Assistive Robotics in the Treatment of Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia

Socially assistive robotics is an emerging field of research focused on assisting people through social interaction. While much attention has been paid in the past to robots that provide assistance to people through physical contact, as well as to robots that entertain through social interaction, more recently attention has been paid on socially assistive robots that mediate communication and social exchange. In the paper the argument is developed describing an exploratory study related to the use of the seal robot Paro for the treatment of dementia. The case is illuminating since it highlights the potential of social robots in supporting non pharmacological therapeutic protocols for the dementia care