Individuals suffering from dementia may soon gain a sense of independence with NHS Western Isles' introduction of a type of robot that will monitor their daily status from afar.
BBC News reports that the four-foot, 11-inch robot on wheels, known as The Giraff, will enable a relative or caregiver to have a two-way video chat with the patient suffering from dementia and offer the ability to drive the robot around the house to see if medication is being taken and food is being consumed.
The Giraff robot will be first tested out in Scotland and is part of a European Union project called Remodem, determining ways to offer support to dementia patients that are residing in remote communities.
The robot was created by a team of researchers from Australia's Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, according to the Scottish Express. It received a positive reception from early trials in an Australian nursing home, as dementia individuals weren't fearful of the robots and family members were pleased with the results.
Health officials hope that the robot will help people with dementia to feel less lonely, while at the same time allow them to live independently.
"We are absolutely delighted to have the Giraff here with us to trial and we have high hopes for how it may improve the quality of life for some dementia patients," Gordon Jamieson, chief executive of NHS Western Isles, said in a statement. "Having seen the Giraff in action, I am extremely impressed with how easily it can be moved around by the 'controller' so that you can clearly see the environment of the patient, and can have a conversation and meaningful interaction, regardless of distance."
Jamieson also noted that the robot possess a huge potential "to improve quality of care, live access to specialists, and speed up consultations" for other healthcare areas.
