A social assistance robot for elderly healthcare

" Socially Pertinent Robot in Gerontological Healthcare "

Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris · NCT05089799

This study is testing a social robot called ARI to see how well it can help elderly patients with memory issues and support their caregivers in busy hospital settings.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment170 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorAssistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (other)
Locations1 site (Paris, Ile De France)
Trial IDNCT05089799 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

The SPRING project aims to develop and evaluate a social assistance robot named ARI, designed to interact with patients, families, and care workers in busy hospital environments. This observational study focuses on assessing the acceptability and usability of the robot among elderly patients suffering from neurocognitive disorders, their caregivers, and healthcare professionals. By exploring human-robot interactions, the study seeks to understand how such technology can enhance the quality of life for elderly individuals and support care workers in their roles. The study will not involve any health improvement objectives or participant follow-ups.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include elderly individuals aged 60 and over who can communicate in French and have a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score greater than 10.

Not a fit: Patients with severe cognitive impairments or altered reality symptoms may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this project could improve the quality of life for elderly patients and enhance the efficiency of care provided by healthcare professionals.

How similar studies have performed: While the use of socially assistive robots is a growing field, this specific approach is exploratory and has not been extensively tested in similar contexts.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* PATIENTS
* Age 60 and over
* Enough knowledge in French language
* Without distinction of gender, socio-professional categories or ethnic origin
* MMSE \> 10
* No symptoms of altered reality (delirium, hallucination, frontal disinhibition, etc.).
* Having expressed his/her non-opposition to his/her participation in the study or to being in the presence of the robot
* If the persons are protected adults under guardianship, the tutor or legal guardian has expressed his/her non-opposition to participate in the study or to be in the presence of the robot for the person concerned.
* ACCOMPANYING PERSONS
* They are all adults who have enough knowledge in French language.
* They are enrolled without distinction of gender, socio-professional categories or ethnic origin
* They have expressed his/her non-opposition to participate in the study
* PROFESSIONALS:
* Age 18 and over.
* Has expressed his/her non-opposition to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

* PATIENTS
* They have expressed, or where applicable, their family, guardian or legal representative, their opposition to participate in the study or their opposition to be in the presence of the robot.
* PAtients benefiying of Medical State Aid (French AME)
* ACCOMPANYING PERSONS They are under 18. They do not have enough knowledge in French language to understand simple instructions. They have expressed their opposition to participate in the study or their opposition to be in the presence of the robot.
* PROFESSIONNALS They have expressed their opposition to participate in the study or their opposition to be in the presence of the robot.

Where this trial is running

Paris, Ile De France

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Patient Participation, Patient Relations, Nurse, Professional Role, Socially Assistive Robots, Gerontological Healthcare, acceptance, usability, organizational and ethic impact

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.