49. A PILOT STUDY ASSESSING THE FEASIBILITY OF ANIMATRONIC AND AI-DRIVEN HUMANOID ROBOTIC COMPANIONS IN GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY CLINIC PATIENTS

Introduction

Emerging robotic technologies in health care, including animatronic and AI-driven humanoid companions, can serve as accessible psychosocial interventions for seniors. Although evidence exists demonstrating benefits in older individuals with loneliness and behavioral disturbances associated with dementia, to our knowledge, reports employing such technologies in explicit geriatric psychiatry outpatients are wanting. As such, a pilot feasibility study was undertaken in this population.

Methods

Following IRB submission and approval, two types of robotic companions (Joy for All Companion Pets [animatronic stuffed animal-like robots with autonomous and reflexive behaviors mimicking the actions of real pets, designed for people with dementia who are less able to engage in verbal interactions]; and ElliQ AI Care Companions [humanoid tabletop robots capable of conversational and emotional engagement especially intended for isolated elders with loneliness]) were initially selected to respectively test feasibility in two diagnostically homogeneous geriatric psychiatry clinic populations at Zucker Hillside Hospital/Northwell Health in Queens, NY: older patients with dementia and episodic aberrant behaviors; and late-life depressed patients living alone and expressing feelings of social isolation and loneliness. Investigators engaged parent companies of the two devices to achieve discounted rates for purchase. Attending gero-psychiatrists were solicited to refer appropriate patients for each modality. ElliQ devices were introduced to depressed patients, and animatronic pets introduced to caregivers of referred agitated dementia patients. Informed consent was then obtained. Enrolled patients interacted with robotic companions over an eight-week period with regular weekly follow-up communication to encourage/ensure continued participation. At the completion of the study period, surveys (Likert-like five-point scales [5 = positive top score]) were administered to patients and/or caregivers assessing diverse feasibility parameters.

Results

Twelve dementia patients were referred for engagement with companion pets; and eight depressed patients endorsing feelings of social isolation and loneliness were referred to utilize ElliQ. 58% (7/12) of dementia patients and 50% (4/8) of depressed patients completed the eight-week study. Reasons for non-completion included withdrawal of consent prior to initiation and nursing home admission. All other participants completed the 8-week study. The average satisfaction score was 4.7 for both devices. For the animatronic pet group, ratings (mean scores) included: general satisfaction (4.9), enrollment satisfaction (4.9), device maintenance (4.7), support (4.7) ease of use (4.9), interest in continued use (4.1), and likelihood of recommending (4.9). For the AI-driven humanoid companion (ElliQ) group, ratings (scores) were general satisfaction (5), enrollment satisfaction (5), device maintenance (4.8), support (4.5), ease of use (4.8), interest in continued use (4.8), and likelihood of recommending (4). Anecdotal feedback highlighting positive outcomes included patients affectionately naming and engaging companions, integrating companions into daily routines, and experiencing improvements in mood, agitation, anxiety, and social interactions with caregivers, whereas negative comments included trouble engaging and complaints about strangeness talking to an object.

Conclusions

Within a hospital-based geriatric psychiatry clinic, depressed outpatients and caregivers supporting dementia patients living at home respectively reported high average diverse feasibility ratings for use of AI-driven robotic companions that provide conversational and emotional engagement and for use of animatronic pets that offer comfort through physical and other non-verbal interactions. Findings preliminarily (since very small sample sizes) support the potential benefits of easily accessed relatively low-cost technological care innovations in depressed and demented geriatric psychiatry outpatients.