Rationale/Extension

Many elderly patients have problems with Dementia or Alzheimer's. In some cases, these patient may need help with daily judgment and reasoning. A robotic assistant would be available 24 hours of the day to help in such a situation. For example, perhaps the location-polling device reports a lot of time being spent in the bathroom. The robotic assistant could be in the house to ask the patient if they may be in need of assistance. This could achieved be via a speaker placed in the bathroom. If no response is given, then emergency services could be called to aid. Another problem these types of patients could have is an inability to focus and pay attention. Daily agenda information could be stored, and the robotic assistant could remind the patient of doing those things. For example, if a family member has scheduled a visit, then the robotic assistant could inform the patient in the morning that the family member will be coming, as well as just before the family member is scheduled to arrive. Another example of something that could be done is: If the a lot of time is being spent in one place of the house, then the robotic assistant could suggest a new activity to get the patient moving on with his/her day. The robotic assistant in these ways acts not only as an automated utility for emergency services, but as a virtual companion for the patient.