RoMeO: Robots Meet Old people

Engineering for care in nursing homes

This social robotics project focuses on understanding the impact of robotic devices in institutional care settings, primarily in nursing homes. One of the most relevant aspects to consider is understanding the attitudes of elderly residents toward robots. From a Science and Technology Studies (STS) perspective, the project is based on the premise that the success of a technology is not solely technical, but depends on its ability to integrate into a broad and heterogeneous network of other devices, processes, and actors that interact and influence one another.

The project aims to promote the responsible and appropriate integration of robotic devices tailored to the needs and preferences of older adults and their contexts, particularly those living in institutional care settings such as nursing homes. To achieve this, the project includes conducting ethnographic sessions in nursing homes, carrying out a pilot study of care robot implementation, developing a scale to assess older adults’ attitudes toward the integration of these devices, and identifying different relational styles among those involved in care processes (e.g., IT teams). This, along with an analysis of the facilitating and hindering factors encountered during the integration of these robots, will allow for the identification of care models desired by older adults and their participation in the design and technological innovation processes.

Preliminary results have shown that older people have a slightly positive attitude towards the incorporation of robots in care homes, especially men; that elements such as the feeling of loneliness may be important in defining the attitude towards the introduction of care robots and that, at the same time, the main interest of older people in robotics is focused on the possibility that it can free caregivers from work and burden.

The team plans to develop a protocol and a policy brief (ten recommendations) to ensure the incorporation of robotic devices that contribute to improving the health and well-being of people living in care homes.

PI of the group: Miquel Domènech

Institution: Barcelona Science and Technology Studies Group (STS-b).

Team website here. Also on Bluesky and X.