Avatar Care Provider for Seniors Residences

We aim to provide companionship, distraction and engagement for seniors who would prefer social interaction to being alone. Fundamentally, the technology we intend to develop and, by the end of the grant, deploy on a trial basis in a long-term care facility, would present a conversational nurse or care provider avatar with whom the seniors could have a conversation anytime they want to talk to someone. Through these conversations, and in particular, via analysis of dialog with the simulated nurse, the system will acquire metrics of both immediate medical needs as well as psychosocial indicators of the senior’s well-being, including data extracted directly from the conversation, and para-linguistic content such as tone of voice, indicative of affect or mood. These data could help maintain awareness among staff of their residents’ immediate needs and general well-being, helping address the critical shortage and need for nursing staff in these facilities, while benefiting the quality of life of the residents.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jeremy Cooperstock;Karyn Moffatt

Student:

Partner:

Object Research Systems;iMD Research

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Information and cultural industries; Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

McGill University

Program: