Ryan CompanionBot to help people with early Alzheimer's and related dementia
Ryan® CompanionBot for Assisting Older Adults with Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia
Ryan is a friendly robot companion designed to help older adults with early Alzheimer's or related dementias with reminders, engagement, and daily support.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dream Face Technologies, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Centennial, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11192313 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You could be offered a humanoid robot called Ryan that talks, gives gentle reminders for medications and appointments, prompts daily tasks, and provides conversation and activities. The robot uses AI and is tailored to the needs of people with early-stage Alzheimer's or related dementias and can be placed in homes or senior-care facilities. The project will refine Ryan's features with input from users, caregivers, and staff to better match memory and mobility needs. Researchers will gather feedback on usability, mood, safety, and caregiver impact to improve the robot over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults aged 65 or older with early-stage Alzheimer's disease or related dementias who can interact with a robotic companion at home or in a care facility.
Not a fit: People with advanced dementia, severe sensory impairments, major behavioral challenges, or who do not want to use robotic devices are unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, Ryan could help people stay more independent, improve daily routines and mood, and reduce caregiver burden.
How similar studies have performed: Small studies of social and companion robots have shown improvements in mood, social engagement, and reduced agitation for some people, but large-scale evidence is still limited.
Where this research is happening
Centennial, UNITED STATES
- Dream Face Technologies, LLC — Centennial, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mahoor, Mohammad — Dream Face Technologies, LLC
- Study coordinator: Mahoor, Mohammad
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.