Investigation of influences of long-term interaction with animal type robot by using fMRI

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26870478
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Intelligent informatics; Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University
• Principal Investigator: Wada Kazuyoshi 首都大学東京, システムデザイン研究科, 准教授 (20453037)
• Research Collaborator: SENOO Atsushi ; INOUE Kaoru ; KINOSHITA Masanobu
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 福祉・介護ロボット / ヒューマンエージェントインタラクション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research aimed to investigate influences of long-term interaction with seal robot, PARO by using fMRI. Elderly people and twenties students participated and used PARO at their home for one month. They watched the video of PARO in fMRI. Their brain activities were measured before and after using PARO; and then, we obtained valid data from 6 elderly people and 11 students. As the results of analysis, some brain areas of elderly people were more activated after using PARO. On the other hand, no brain areas were activated more in case of students. Therefore, it seems that PARO has stronger influences on elderly people than young people.

Free Research Field

ロボット工学