Wednesday
1:00p - 2:00p
Designing Socially Assistive Robots for Dementia Care: From Algorithms to Real-World Application
Momotaz Begum, PhD - Univesity of New Hampshire
Sajay Arthanat, PhD, OTR/L - - University of New Hampshire
Jing Wang, PhD, FAAN - University of New Hampshire
This session connects the "how it works" of socially assistive robots with the "how we use it" realities of dementia care. We will introduce our NIH R01 and show how advances in perception, sensing, and human-robot interaction translate into concrete supports for people living with dementia and their care teams, ranging from cueing for activities of daily living and medication routines to safety monitoring, engagement, and caregiver workload relief. Moving from core algorithms to implementation, we will also share early insights from participants in our ongoing pilot study.
Momotaz Begum, PhD — University of New Hampshire
Momotaz is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at UNH. Dr. Begum directs research in human–robot interaction, perception, and manipulation with a focus on aging and disability. Her lab develops algorithms and systems for socially assistive robots to operate safely in unstructured, real-world care environments, bridging core autonomy with clinically meaningful use cases.
Sajay Arthanat, PhD, OTR/L — University of New Hampshire
Sajay is a Professor of Occupational Therapy at UNH, Dr. Arthanat studies assistive technology, human factors, and usability in aging and disability. His work centers on translating technology into everyday practice—co-designing with clinicians and families, evaluating workload and workflow fit, and advancing equitable access to technology-enabled care.
Jing Wang, PhD, FAAN — University of New Hampshire
Nurse scientist focused on dementia care, Dr. Wang leads family-centered and implementation research at the intersection of aging, caregiving, and emerging technologies. Her work spans ethics, stakeholder engagement, and real-world evaluation to ensure that innovations like socially assistive robots are person-centered, feasible, and scalable in routine care.