Research Spotlight: UNH Nursing Professor Awarded NIH R21 Grant to Explore AI-Assisted Robots in Dementia Care
Assistant Professor of Nursing Jing Wang is part of a major interdisciplinary effort exploring how artificial intelligence-assisted robot technology can improve the lives of people living with dementia and those of their care partners.
Last year, Wang was awarded a highly competitive two-year, $394,282 R21 research grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to examine how artificial intelligence-assisted robots can be ethically integrated into dementia care, balancing cutting-edge technology with a person-centered approach that prioritizes the values and rights of people with dementia.
“Receiving this grant is an incredible opportunity to address a vital gap in dementia care. While AI technology has immense potential, it is essential that its adoption remains grounded in ethical principles,” Wang says.
Since receiving the R21 grant, Wang has been working with an interdisciplinary team at UNH on developing a social assistive robot. That project has entered pilot testing, with the robot now operating in the homes of participating families.
Wang works alongside occupational therapy professor Sajay Arthanat; computer scientist Momotaz Begum; and exercise scientist and associate dean for research Dain LaRoche. The group will be discussing their efforts at the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) annual meeting in Boston.
The team is working with a commercially purchased robot that it has programmed and uses Internet of Things sensors to trigger different protocols. Current pilot work involves five families, with each study lasting about six months, long enough to observe meaningful changes in disease progression and in how the robot adapts.
Wang says the pilots are an opportunity to observe ethical challenges in a real-life setting, such as balancing safety and privacy and fostering trust in a robot while respecting a person’s sense of independence.
For example, one study participant initially expressed interest in a daily reminder to wear the appropriate shoes when going for a walk, but later found it too intrusive.
“That kind of reminder was starting to affect his sense of independence,” says Wang. “He felt, ‘I already know I’m able to do this. I don’t need to be reminded.’ What I’m seeing in this project is the real application of person-centered care — how we make shared decisions with participants about whether to use the robot, how to use it, and what it should do to truly support them.”
The team is also exploring alternatives to cameras, such as wearable devices, for families uncomfortable with in-home video monitoring.
The pilot studies are ongoing.
Wang believes AI-assisted robot technology has the potential to allow people with dementia to live safely at home while reducing some of the pressures on caregivers.
“Ethically integrating AI technology into dementia care means respecting the autonomy and dignity of those living with the condition. If implemented thoughtfully, AI-assisted robots can transform care, offering meaningful support to both individuals and their caregivers,” Wang says.
