Abstract
In this chapter, several projects will be presented in order to show the current state of the art in the research and development of the integration of ambient integrated robotics. The projects focus especially on the support of the elderly and fragile people. The main aim of each single project is to keep the user physically and mentally active in order to slow down the process of senility. All the tasks that the user cannot do alone anymore must be supported by the technology. Here however, the main difficulty in each presented project is to establish the system in a way that only the minimal necessary support is offered, otherwise the user could become too inactive leading to an accelerated process of senility.
In this chapter, several projects will be presented in order to show the current state of the art in the research and development of the integration of ambient integrated robotics. The projects focus especially on the support of the elderly and fragile people. The main aim of each single project is to keep the user physically and mentally active in order to slow down the process of senility. All the tasks that the user cannot do alone anymore must be supported by the technology. Here however, the main difficulty in each presented project is to establish the system in a way that only the minimal necessary support is offered, otherwise the user could become too inactive leading to an accelerated process of senility.
5.1 Project GEWOS
The objective of GEWOS (Gesund wohnen mit Stil – Healthy Living with Style) was to develop a sociotechnical furniture that animates the elderly to move more actively, in order to enable a healthy lifestyle. By implementing the appropriate technology into an armchair for the living room, this health-support system is unobtrusively integrated into the living environment of the elderly. The overall system consists of motion sensor unobtrusively integrated into the seat, training devices (e.g., rows), a TV (as interface), and some vital measurement devices like pulse oximetry and ECG. By using Wi-Fi, the armchair measurement gets directly connected with a server (via internet). Using a remote controller concludes the overall system integration into a smart living environment, allowing to not only control the TV and display measurement results, but also to control home electronics like light switches.
A specially designed graphical user interface (GUI) allows the elderly an intuitive access to the different service functions offered by the chair. However, the project confirmed the importance of the end-user motivation and design if such systems should be applied in the user’s home environment. In order to enable training and at the same time make the armchair look convenient, rowing oars have been integrated into the chair. The oars are covered by the arm rest, which let the armchair look like a normal armchair. Stand-assist as well as position is also provided, which allows the user to train (guided by the GUI of the GEWOS TV) directly on the chair (see Figure 5.2).
Figure 5.1 The overall system architecture of the GEWOS project.
Figure 5.2 Top left: The GEWOS armchair with unobtrusive AAL technology. Top right: The GEWOS armchair with uncovered rows. Bottom left: Stand-assist. Bottom right: Training guided by the GEWOS GUI.
To motivate the user to train, a video-gaming style has been implemented. As Figure 5.3 demonstrates, the user sees a virtual river, which he can row down, using the implemented oars in the arm rests. While the elderly is just playing a game, he is in fact training guided movements via use of the oars.
5.2 Project LISA
Devices, like those mentioned in Section 5.1, can be expensive to replace an existing furniture. Although this fact does not sound so critical, the elderly do not easily separate from their belongings, because they link them with memories. Therefore, for the AAL research, it is a major topic to develop add-ons, which are also compatible with the given environment.
This is one of the most challenging factors: to develop a technology that can be easily installed in a different and absolutely customized, but not structured, user environment. For example, a more structured environment is the car. If someone wants to install a navigation device into a car, the installation is easier, because of the standardization (in this case the windscreen). In an apartment, this luxury does not exist; even door sizes differ from apartment to apartment. Nevertheless, project LISA’s objective is to find a solution here by developing plug-and-play smart AAL walls. Additionally, the multimorbidity of the elderly must be considered, which leads to complex and highly individual multiple constraints. Therefore, the multidimensionality, i.e., the possibility to operate several modules of the offered assistance at once is of central importance [157].
For the very first time, the apartment was structured in their different areas: living room, bed room, kitchen, bath room, and entrance areas (see Figure 5.4).
For each area, a unique solution must be found. To do this, a basic module, which can easily be installed (in a few hours) must be developed. This smart wall device will later on serve as an interface for various modules that offer different services.
Depending on the apartment area, the offered services must distinguish that, e.g., an induction cooker is very useful in the kitchen but makes less sense in the entrance area. According to this new approach, the different apartment areas have been evaluated according to their interface complexity (current, internet, water supply, etc.). The results showed that the entrance area belongs to the most promising areas, according to the high need of the elderly (here the elderly and fragile face a lot of challenges, forgetting keys or choosing the wrong coat for the actual weather condition, which may lead to influenza, etc.) and the least complexity regarding the interface compared to the bathroom and kitchen, which need a water supply interface.
As the next necessary step in this approach, the service functions must be defined. According to the project, investigations following overall functions have been considered (also illustrated in Figure 5.9): light (including color and intensity), remembering function (to avoid that the elderly lose or forget their keys, etc.), shoehorn (to ease dressing), vital measurements (to figure out potential risks of diseases together with the weather report), robotic assistance (to carry the belongings of the user), and a stand-assist (for the case of a weak blood circulation).
There are some functions already on the market, like the vital measurement, which has been implemented in the terminal. Every household has a blood pressure meter, a scale, or a blood glucose meter. Here, however, the main objective of the project LISA is the seamless integration or interfacing of these existing products. The mentioned devices use a Wi-Fi transmission to send their data to a local server, which is used to store the data, in order to plot them on a user-friendly GUI and to show the health status over time. This allows to more efficiently interpret, e.g., blood pressure, as the measurements work in relation to each other instead of just giving a single result. The overall system architecture is depicted in Figure 5.6, and also shows the communication to the reminding function.
Figure 5.5 Potential service modules for the smart AAL walls. Top left: Light and air purifier. Top middle: Robotic assistance. Top right: RFID Antenna and processing unit with USB interface. Bottom left: Shoehorn for dressing assistance. Bottom middle: Blood pressure meter for health status estimation. Bottom right: Stand-assist.
The reminding function uses RFID technology to identify, by tags, the appropriately marked objects. The tags are passively powered and can be very small, which allows for marking, e.g., the keys unobtrusively. An antenna implemented in each shell of the shelf is able to detect the tag (see Figure 5.5). Using Arduino Micro as the processing unit, it is possible to read out the RFID antenna and to forward the information to the local server, where the availability information of the object is stored. The user can access the information by using the LISA GUI as shown in Figure 5.7. As the Arduino is supplied and interfaced by USB, this function is easy to install by plug-and-play, which means that the modularity aspect is fulfilled.
Figure 5.7 Top left: GUI on the touch screen as user interface, showing the result of the RFID tag scan. Bottom left: The test tags in the shelf for demonstration. Top right: An exemplary user interface for setting up the light condition. Bottom right: The different results which can be set up.
The GUI allows the user to also control the function of the light and air conditioner [158]. It also showed that the light color and intensity can directly influence the mood of a senior. Additionally, the potential is given to link the RFID remind function to the light, e.g., when the door is opened, in order to enable a silent (i.e., not stigmatizing) alert, which warns the user not to forget the key in the shelf, before closing the door.
The modularity aspect of the smart AAL wall LISA is not limited to the potential service modules. As part of customization, and considering the different sizes of the apartments, the terminals can be set up as shown in Figure 5.8.
5.3 Project PASSAge
Mobility means life quality, especially in old age. Therefore, it is not surprising that there exists a huge variety of mobility aids (rollator, Stairlift, E-Scooters, etc.). Up to now, however, it is still very challenging for the elderly to take part in the public road traffic. This is mostly because when mobility aids are being developed (or houses, trains, etc.), the interface for these aids are mostly neglected. For example, the rollator is nowadays helping a lot of the elderly to stay mobile. However, there are a lot of entrance doors, which have “just” three steps (because it looks nice). Unfortunately, for someone who is fragile and needs a rollator as support, the three steps are invincible with the rollator.
Here, the PASSAge project aimed to investigate such “mobility gaps” in order to design interfaces on the hard- and software level to develop a seamless mobility chain from the bed to the entire world. The major focus in this section will be on the home environment.
Demographic changes have an impact on the future planning of the mobility for an independent life. Accessibility, according to the existing standards, can only partially solve the problem; therefore, holistic concepts are needed. Distances, which can be done by foot or by bicycle are usually straightforward, but the risk for elderly as pedestrians or cyclists is high. For example, as pedestrians, the risk to die by an accident is increased by 3.8 times. On the other hand, the risk of cyclists getting killed by an accident increases by 5.8 times according to [159].
This is because of age-related reduction of the physical and cognitive competencies among the elderly, which can lead to small mistakes with serious consequences. To secure the mobility of the elderly, existing mobility aids like the rollator should be further developed by add-ons, and additionally taking into account that future seniors will be healthier and more mobile than the current elderly [160]. The objective of the project was to provide a cross-linked and flexible infrastructure for a variety of mobility components, where the different components are not in competition with each other but create synergies by cooperation in order to secure the mobility and agility of the elderly. The smartphone is thought to be an interface for controlling the PASSAge System environment, which could also be used for navigation and health management (using appropriate apps).
Different constellations and connections in the value system offering different optimal solutions are what institutions and companies concentrate on in the development of assistance and aid systems [161]. Four different scenarios (or use cases) were defined in order to estimate the potentially best solutions within PASSAge. The first use case is the AAL-House, including care phones, safety bracelets, video telephony, alarm detectors for smoke water, etc. The second use case considered E-Cars of different sizes, walking aids, rollators, scooters, lift systems, and social services. The third use case described shopping, errands, doctors and hospital visits, culture and church events, visiting friends, and relatives. The fourth use case considered user interfaces, e.g., on smartphones, vital signs measurement (blood pressure, activity profile), navigation, service platforms, etc.
The main focus is set to Use Cases 1 and 2. Especially for the Use Case 1, the indoor support and use of robots has been investigated. Robots are difficult to include into the home environment, because they are mostly large, heavy, and expensive. Therefore, the use of the TurtleBot has been investigated.
The TurtleBot, for robots, is low-cost, lightweight, and small. Its disadvantage is the reduced payload, which leads to the question: how can a robot, which resembles a toy, support the elderly in their activities and mobility? For this purpose, a new interface (using PLE with a 3D printer), which allows the robot to connect to a rollator has been designed as demonstrated in Figure 5.9.
Figure 5.9 The new interface, which allows the TurtleBot to interface with the rollator.
This approach allows the TurtleBot to move the rollator to the user, despite the payload being very low. The main idea behind this development is to ensure that an end user can always reach the rollator by ultra-low-cost robots. However, this idea has the challenge to answer the question: how can a user control this robot?
To investigate the potentially best solution, a special GUI has been designed (shown in Figure 5.10), where the end user could test different controlling options.
Figure 5.10 User interface, which allows the user to command and navigate the TurtleBot.
The arrow buttons allow the user to directly navigate the robot. A map, showing the location of the robot in the apartment as well as the RGB image (and depth image), gives the user a hint as to where the robot is (in case the robot is hiding in another room). Even though this kind of control is very challenging for the elderly, it always offers the possibility to interfere if the robot is making a mistake.
At the top, predefined tasks, e.g., how to connect to a rollator, are defined. By pressing one of these buttons (using the touch screen of the tablet PC depicted in the window), the robot acts completely independent. Even though this kind of user input is preferred, the accuracy of the navigation of the TurtleBot is just enough to connect with the rollator. If the task needs a higher accuracy, the user must support the TurtleBot by the arrow buttons (Figure 5.1).
Alternative inputs, like gesture control using the Leap motion sensor (as described in Section 5.4), or by voice control, showed a disappointing and weak result. The motion control is not intuitive enough for a mobile platform, whereas voice control fails mostly because of the different pronunciations, which are often influenced by dialects. Additionally, for the elderly, it is difficult to recall specific terms and to understand that they cannot talk to the robot like to a human, at least with current technology.
The alternative to pointing a position directly on the map by using the touchscreen was also not highly appreciated by the end user. However, still more preferred it to arrow buttons; the main critique of the touchscreen was that it is mostly too small to point to the correct position (especially on a smartphone, as shown in Figure 5.11). Combined with the reduced accuracy of the TurtleBot, the navigation of the robot becomes challenging again. Nevertheless, the subjects of the test mainly criticized the interface. As soon as the tester got used to the control option, the feedback was mainly good. This demonstrates the high potential of even such small and cheap robots like the TurtleBot.
Figure 5.11 Left: A tablet PC with Windows 7 as the operating system. Right: A smartphone with Android as operating system.
The main challenge here is only to find an appropriate interface to control the necessary service task. According to [162], the use of smartphones or tablet PCs is an intuitive way to offer services to the elderly.
Because they lack haptic feedback, touchscreens are not the best solution. Voice control will become an optimal solution, if the matching algorithm becomes more robust. Autonomous and independent working robots demonstrated the highest user acceptance in the test.
Considering Use Case 2 of Figure 5.9, stairs are a major challenge for the TurtleBot as well as for rollator or wheelchair users. Therefore, transport options have been added to a device, which is named “StairWalker” (see Figure 5.12).
The StairWalker is comparable to a stair lift, with the difference being that there is no existing sitting place. This means that the user has to walk up and down the stairs on his own. The device just supports stair climbing, just like a rollator supports walking. Such devices are important to avoid an accelerated senescence, because if the elderly person continues to climb stairs, muscle will not begin to atrophy according to laws of nature – use it or lose it [163]. However, to enable the user (or the TurtleBot) to leave the apartment with the rollator, an automated transport box has been added, which is 100 percent with the overall indoor system.
This means that the GUI, and also the end user, is able to control the StairWalker and the TurtleBot. Depending on the source code, the TurtleBot is potentially able to call the appropriate shell script commands, depending on his current position on the apartment map. The details on how the interface between the tablet, or smartphone, and the robot has been realized is described by [164].
These prototypical implementations, which have been tested by the elderly in the laboratory test apartment, allowed to simulate several solutions as depicted in Figure 5.13.
Using stronger robots than the TurtleBot would also add the simulated tasks. Depending on the robots’ oriented design, the mobile platform, e.g., the Lynx Adept, could be enabled to carry objects to the car or into the apartment. For this purpose, special add-ons have been designed, as depicted in Figure 5.14.
5.4 Project USA²
Project USA² (Ubiquitäres und Selbstbestimmtes Arbeiten im Alter) aimed to develop decentralized work stations, which allow the retired elderly (or fragile) to take active part in the work life. The project focused on retired engineers for a period of one year with support of up to € 300,000 from the BMBF. Figure 5.15 demonstrates the basic idea of this project.
As it can be seen in Figure 5.15, this project considered the whole lifecycle of the product, starting with the product planning, development, quality security and testing up to service support. By recording and sharing the knowledge, robotic elements should learn basic movements or tasks, in order to support the elderly. The prototype concept was developed for three different scenarios: (a) for use as a modern production station in companies, (b) for home use, and (c) for use in “Brainspots.” A Brainspot can be seen as a decentralized manufacturing corner, where the companies and communities provide the elderly in a neighborhood access to this workstation to allow them to stay active in their former employment.
At the same time in countries like Germany, it is expected that by 2030, approximately 7 million fewer employees will exist as compared to today. This means that within the next years, the gross national product will reduce by 16 percent [165], including a large knowledge loss, because of the retirement of highly experienced employees. There are existing studies (e.g., [166]), which prove the abilities of the “young.” By keeping the elderly person especially mentally active, the process of senility should be slowed down [167], [168]. This means that this approach leads to a “win-win-situation”, as the economy together with the elderly and their health benefit.
In order to allow for a proof of concept laboratory test, new technologies like 3D scanning and 3D printing, have been used for the production. Also, in this “mini home-factory,” robots support the work. A robotic arm (Jaco-arm robot [169]) and a logistic platform (for this basic investigation the TurtleBot has been used) have been implemented in the work station.
The overall shape of the workstation orientates on the ergonomic structure of an airplane cockpit. The pilot in an airplane cockpit can easily reach each important switch. This leads to the specific design of the decentralized mini home-factory, as shown in Figure 5.16.
