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Looking after a child, even through simulation, is good for Alzheimer’s patients. This is what emerges from the “Hero” experiment, carried out by a research group from the University of Naples Federico II, the Japanese Institute for Advanced Study and the Residenza del Sole in Cinisello Balsamo, in the Milanese hinterland (owned by the Cooperativa Sole, specialized in social care services aimed at elderly people with senile dementia or suffering from critical illnesses). An innovation that is currently as simple as it is revolutionary: Hero is the name of a faceless doll, which emits moans just like those used by children. It is technically a robot with a minimal design. It differs from well-known human robots and social robots because it offers an abstract representation of the body, without many details, like a rag doll. It deliberately does not have a face, because experiments have highlighted that patients, in this sort of “therapeutic game”, are more willing to attribute a face they imagine. An initial version with a child’s face was then corrected to choose neutrality.
Made in Japan, “Hero-chan” costs 5.5 thousand yen (about 50 euros) and, according to the developers, is mainly intended for the elderly for its healing effects. It has the recorded voice of a real human child with multiple emotional states to enhance the feeling of presence and facilitate emotional interactions. Hiro simultaneously vocalizes emotional states, which respond to the elders’ actions: he cries when he is left alone and calms down when he is picked up. Also, if he is hugged, he starts laughing.
The research project began in December 2022 to date, with over 500 administrations. In the next few months we will exit the experimental phase and arrive at the definitive one. Inside the Residenza del sole the elderly had the following positive effects: they increased social interaction (because the game brings together and makes us complicit); recovered parts of memory; reduced stress and reactivated movement. Furthermore, except in rare cases, it was accepted by all patients. The project aims to: encourage the use of robotic solutions in care homes and in contexts where vulnerabilities are present; improve interactions between nurses and patients; improve the well-being (psychological, physical, social) of the actors involved. In this project the Italian team is collaborating with another research group from Maastricht. «In Italy we are still behind in the use of robotics, especially for this type of purpose. Our experimentation gives a boost to this sector, we will soon move on to the presentation phase leaving the research laboratory”, says Cristina Mele, professor of economics at the University of Naples and leader of the research group dedicated to innovation in services.
This pilot project is now entering the actual healthcare market. After Christmas the Hero robot will be presented and probably introduced in other RSAs.