Participatory design for gerontechnology solutions: Developing and assessing social robots for their integration in geriatric care institutions
L. Blavette, S. Dacunha, C. Harzo, M. Pino
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AbstractThe emergence of robotic technologies presents transformative opportunities for the care of older adults in institutional settings. The French ROBOTONOMIE project is an applied research initiative aimed at developing a comprehensive set of specifications for a social and assistance robot tailored for use in nursing homes and other geriatric establishments. This project employs a participatory design approach to guide design choices and use cases, ensuring that the robot's development is closely aligned with the needs and preferences of its end-users. One significant issue in designing technologies is the lack of involvement of final users in the process, particularly when these users have dementia, a common condition in nursing care institutions. Implementing participatory approaches with older adults who have neurocognitive disorders necessitates careful consideration of methods to adapt and engage these users effectively in the design process. Participatory approaches are thus adopted not only to enhance technological relevance and feasibility but also to uphold ethical principles such as dignity, empowerment, autonomy, and democratic engagement by giving users a voice (Giaccardi et al., 2016; Merkel & Kucharski, 2019; Cahill et al., 2018). This presentation focuses on the first phase of the project, which involved organizing focus groups and interviews in four French establishments to directly assess the needs, wishes, and specifications of older adults with neurocognitive disorders regarding socially assistive robots.Keywords: participatory design, social robots, geriatric care, ethical integration, neurocognitive disorders
L. Blavette, S. Dacunha, C. Harzo, M. Pino (2024). Participatory design for gerontechnology solutions: Developing and assessing social robots for their integration in geriatric care institutions. Gerontechnology, 23(2), 6-6
https://doi.org/10.4017/gt.2024.23.s.1105.6.sp