SARA+: Advancing a Socially Assistive care Robot with a focus on Relationships and Acceptance throughout the dementia journey

This project is a collaboration between three universities and two businesses. We aim to improve an existing social robot called SARA, which is already used in nursing homes. By focusing on functions that are useful during the different stages of dementia—mild, moderate, and severe—and by selecting appropriate sensory features (such as appearance, sound, and touch), we seek to maximize SARA's potential to provide personalized social support throughout the entire dementia journey, from home-based care in the early stages to support in cases of severe dementia.

The number of people with dementia is growing, which puts a heavy burden on families, caregivers, and healthcare systems. In current care practice, providing personal attention is often compromised. In SARA+, we hope to reduce some of this pressure by offering a friendly, interactive companion that follows proper safety rules and respects ethical values.

We will use a step-by-step design process, working closely with people with dementia, their family caregivers, and professional experts. Together, we will further develop SARA’s appearance, sounds, and touch-based functions to make it more welcoming and helpful. We will set and use clear ethical and safety guidelines, and aim to ensure that SARA meets the needs of people with dementia at each stage of the condition.

In the end, we will develop new SARA prototypes. Our team will share our findings through publications and guidelines, so others can learn from our experience. We hope that SARA will become a trusted companion, making life more pleasant for people with dementia and those who care for them.