Intelligent Assistive Technology for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias: A Systematic Review

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Ienca, Marcello^{a; *} | Fabrice, Jotterand^{a; b} | Elger, Bernice^{a; c} | Caon, Maurizio^d | Scoccia Pappagallo, Alessandro^e | Kressig, Reto W.^{f; g} | Wangmo, Tenzin^a

Affiliations: [a] Institute for Biomedical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Switzerland | [b] Institute for Health and Society, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA | [c] University Center for Legal Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland | [d] Department of Computer Science, HumanTech Institute, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, Fribourg, Switzerland | [e] Fooder Ltd., London, UK | [f] University Center for Medicine of Aging, Felix Platter Hospital, Basel, Switzerland | [g] Chair of Geriatrics, University of Basel, Switzerland

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Marcello Ienca, MSc, MA, Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Bernoullistrasse 28, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland. Tel.: +41 61 267 02 03; E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: Intelligent assistive technologies (IATs) have the potential of offering innovative solutions to mitigate the global burden of dementia and provide new tools for dementia care. While technological opportunities multiply rapidly, clinical applications are rare as the technological potential of IATs remains inadequately translated into dementia care. In this article, the authors present the results of a systematic review and the resulting comprehensive technology index of IATs with application in dementia care. Computer science, engineering, and medical databases were extensively searched and the retrieved items were systematically reviewed. For each IAT, the authors examined their technological type, application, target population, model of development, and evidence of clinical validation. The findings reveal that the IAT spectrum is expanding rapidly in volume and variety over time, and encompasses intelligent systems supporting various assistive tasks and clinical uses. At the same time, the results confirm the persistence of structural limitations to successful adoption including partial lack of clinical validation and insufficient focus on patients’ needs. This index is designed to orient clinicians and relevant stakeholders involved in the implementation and management of dementia care across the current capabilities, applications, and limitations of IATs and to facilitate the translation of medical engineering research into clinical practice. In addition, a discussion of the major methodological challenges and policy implications for the successful and ethically responsible implementation of IAT into dementia care is provided.

Keywords: Ambient assisted living, assistive technology, cognitive assistance, dementia, pervasive computing, robotics, technology index

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-161037

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 56, no. 4, pp. 1301-1340, 2017