AI, Robotics, and Clinical Research for Innovative Dementia Interventions: A Japanese-German Collaboration

After a successful international workshop in Karlsruhe, Germany in June 2023, transformative initiative is underway involving major institutions: the RIKEN Cognitive Behavioral Assistive Technology (CB-AT) Team in Japan, the Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Rostock/Greifswald, Rostock, the Forschungszentrum Informatik (FZI) and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Information Processing Technology as well as the Institute for Entrepreneurship, Technology Management and Innovation. The unique strengths of these institutions unite in an interdisciplinary collaboration focusing on novel dementia interventions. This consortium envisions the future of dementia care and the prevention of its progress – a model that brings together the strengths of AI, robotics, digital platforms, and clinical research, not just targeting patients but considering dyadic interventions that support both patients and caregivers.

The KIT and FZI from Karlsruhe bring to the table expertise in software and AI engineering, and experience in research transfer. Particularly crucial is the role of the METIS platform, which supports multi-stage treatment processes for neurodegenerative diseases in an outpatient setting, integrating modern wearables and AI personalization of treatment strategies.
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RIKEN CB-AT complements this with robotics and system integration capabilities, including access to robots ready for integration into care regimens. The institute is renowned for its speech intervention strategies in dementia prevention, fostering the idea of using robots to aid caregivers and patients alike. Ultimately, the robots could serve as a base station, actively engaging with caregivers, assessing their stress levels, and providing mitigation strategies while simultaneously collecting crucial data.
DZNE Rostock/Greifswald rounds out the partnership with a robust clinical background and access to well-defined clinical cohorts. Their research provides valuable insights into patient needs. Furthermore, their proficiency in qualitative research and dyadic interventions adds an essential layer of complexity to the project.
In this alliance, a shared ethos of participatory approach, modern digital and wearable technology adoption, and individualized intervention strategies enable a unified research vision. The potential outcomes are manifold: they include technologies for outpatient measurements of intervention, prevention and care, robots aiding caregivers and patients, digitalization of care pathways, stress mitigation, and more.
All partners strive to establish bi-lateral connections between existing technology and new integrations, enabling data insights from a variety of sources, including smartwatches, smartphones, robots, novel technology, and caregiver-patient interactions. These insights can be used for the personalization of intervention and care, medication, early detection of emergency situations, and strategies to empower patients and enhance the resilience of caregivers.
Once addressed, the opportunity for transformative early prevention of dementia progression are immense. The expected outcomes span joint research projects, scientific publications, societal impact, and entrepreneurial initiatives.
In conclusion, this collaborative venture aspires to make strides in dementia care and intervention through the integrative use of platform-based AI, robotics, and clinical research, fostering an enhanced care ecosystem that values patients and caregivers.