Using a robot to help care for patients with Alzheimer’s disease
Official title: SCH: Robotic Caregiver to Comprehend, Assist, Relieve, and Evaluate for Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (Robotic CARE for AD)
Funded at University of Tennessee Knoxville · NIH-11023030 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a friendly robot can help people with Alzheimer’s by assisting them with everyday tasks and providing companionship, while also making life easier for their caregivers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Knoxville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Knoxville, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2022 |
| Project end | January 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $280,371 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG077003-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11023030 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals aged 65 and older who are living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are younger than 65 or do not have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research explores the use of a humanoid robot designed to assist patients with Alzheimer’s disease by understanding their emotional and cognitive states. The robot will help patients with daily activities such as meal preparation and self-feeding, while also providing companionship. Additionally, it aims to alleviate the stress and burden on caregivers by offering support and enhancing the overall care experience. The robot learns and adapts to the needs of the patients, ensuring a personalized approach to care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve the quality of life for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using robotic systems for elder care, indicating potential success for this innovative approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Knoxville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Qi, Hairong — University of Tennessee Knoxville
- Study coordinator: Qi, Hairong
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Negotiation training to help Alzheimer’s caregivers communicate with care teams
A program called NegotiAge helps families caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease learn better negotiation skills to talk with doctors, insurers, and other caregivers.
-
Understanding and supporting informal care partners of people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias
A new project aims to create smarter, easier ways to measure and understand the experiences of people who care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
-
Caregiver networks around people with Alzheimer’s disease
A researcher at Northwestern University is testing a social-network method to map all the family and friend caregivers surrounding someone with Alzheimer’s to understand how relationships help or hinder care.
-
Peer Caregiver Navigation for Alzheimer’s: Support by a paraprofessional peer coach
A caregiver-support program led by trained paraprofessionals helps family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease manage stress, learn coping skills, and access peer support.
-
LifeBioTALK: tablet avatar conversations to engage people with Alzheimer's and ease caregiver stress
A tablet app uses a human-like avatar to speak, show videos, and interact with people living with Alzheimer's to reduce loneliness and make caregiving easier.
-
Understanding the challenges faced by caregivers of Alzheimer's patients
This study is looking at how taking care of someone with Alzheimer's affects caregivers and what support they need, so we can find better ways to help them feel less overwhelmed.
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.