, Graham Postdoctoral Fellow in the Cheriton School of Computer Science, and Kerstin Dautenhahn, Canada 150 Chair in Intelligent Robotics in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, have received a catalyst grant from the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ’s Network for Aging Research to develop emotionally intelligent robots to help people with dementia. , Associate Professor in the Cheriton School of Computer Science, and Jennifer Boger, Assistant Professor in the Department of Systems Design Engineering complete the multidisciplinary team. Â
More than half a million Canadians currently live with dementia, a group of symptoms caused most commonly by Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia affects a person’s memory, thinking and social abilities. As it progresses, dementia interferes more and more with a person’s daily life and places an increasing burden on their caregivers. The cost of dementia to the healthcare system and caregivers is an estimated $10.4 billion per year, a figure expected to rise to $16.6 billion by 2031.