Towards Mixed Reality Applications to Support Active and Lively Ageing
Keywords: Mixed Reality, HoloLens, Dementia
Abstract: The global population is ageing at a significant pace. The percentage of older adults is expected to increase to 24% by 2030, leading to a consequent growth in the number of people affected by dementia. This condition calls for special attention to the daily physical and psychological needs of the individuals involved.
Simultaneously, aged care problems, such as elevated costs and the shortage of professional caregivers, are worsening the scenario.
Robotic technologies are playing a pivotal role in assisting elderly individuals in retaining their autonomy and providing innovative, direct assistance to them.
In the literature, there is evidence of the significant impact that these technologies have on elderly people, especially the ones with dementia. These positive results translate into decreased depression and anxiety and into improved overall wellbeing and quality of life.
This paper introduces a mixed reality application created for older adults with dementia, with the aim of stimulating motor and cognitive functioning.
The application is deployed to Microsoft HoloLens 2 and the person is asked to select and play games with an increasing level of difficulty. This is intended as a first step that will pave the way towards effective and intuitive interaction with assistive robotic systems.
The ultimate aim of this work is to help elderly people with dementia keeping their brain active and ageing in an environment filled with opportunities, rather than limitations.
Submission Number: 10
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