Assessing the tolerance of a telepresence robot in users with Mild Cognitive Impairment - A protocol for studying users' physiological response

This article describes preliminary work of a research study which supports the use of tele-operated robots for rehabilitation, home care assistance and social interaction. Specifically our idea is to use a telepresence robot, called Giraff, to interact with elderly people suffering from Mild Cognitive Impairment. In order to evaluate the potential implications in the use of Giraff with this specific target of users, a first step has been identified which aims at evaluating the tolerability and safety of the robotic platform. The paper presents a research protocol designed to analyze the emotional response of mild cognitive impaired subjects and their ability to adapt to the robot during repeated interactions. The protocol is based on the analysis of the physiological measures as indicators of the users's emotional reaction to the Giraff experience.