Interacting with robot dog offsets advance of dementia

16 Jan 2019

Newsclip featured two SP Engineering projects including the robot dog that was developed by a group of Diploma in Electrical and electronic engineering students. The robot dog is equipped with games and enhancements that aims to get the elderly to think and move around more in a bid to offset dementia. For example, one game requires the user to choose a tile that completes a random mahjong sequence. If the right tile is selected, the dog will nod its "head" and let out an encouraging "bark". Currently, the dog is being tested and refined at the Lions Befrienders Home. SP’s senior lecturer Dr Jaichandar opined on how the robot dog can also help therapists in their jobs. Another project that was featured is a music therapy system developed for KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH). Using a sensor, three Diploma in Computer Engineering students developed a contactless interactive musical system that allows patients to undergo upper limb rehabilitation. The contactless method of undergoing rehabilitation was requested by KKH as they seek to lower the rate of contamination. Newsclip mentioned that both projects are part of 20 industry projects that have been tested or commercialised by SP’s partners over the past four years.

[Channel 8]