In early October, the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) will host the 2nd Workshop on Enabling Independence with Robotic Solutions for Enhanced Wellbeing. The event brings together experts from sociology, psychiatry, gerontology, dementia care, and robotics to explore how socially assistive robots can support independence, dignity, and wellbeing for people living with dementia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We spoke to Dr Carlos Cifuentes, Associate Professor in Human-Robot Interaction at BRL, about why this work matters, how it connects to UWE Bristol\u2019s RISE priorities, and what to expect from the workshop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you give us a short overview of the workshop – what it\u2019s about and who it\u2019s for?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This workshop will explore the evolving role of technologies in supporting individuals living with dementia, focusing on human-robot interaction, cognitive support, and the lived experience of dementia in care environments. Bringing together experts in sociology, psychiatry, gerontology, dementia care and robotics, the event will showcase interdisciplinary perspectives on how socially assistive robots can be designed to meaningfully engage with the cognitive, emotional, and social needs of individuals with dementia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The goal is to foster dialogue around how technology can enhance dignity, autonomy, and quality of life while supporting caregivers in delivering person-centred care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why is it important to look at robotics in the context of independence, ageing and dementia?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The increase in the ageing population is inevitable, and care homes are facing a lack of long-term caregivers. Robotics can help address the dual challenges of promoting independence, supporting caregivers, and building sustainable models of future care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the second edition of the workshop. What\u2019s new or different this year?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The first workshop focused on how robotics can enhance wellbeing in ageing populations more broadly. The second edition goes deeper into dementia care, examining human-robot interaction, cognitive support, and the lived experience of dementia in care settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you share a highlight or example of the technologies being presented or demonstrated?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We have developed a smart assistive walker (Zimmer frame) that can guide people living with dementia while walking in their homes or outdoors. It also helps guide users in performing daily activities, such as preparing a cup of tea or finding specific places. Additionally, it monitors walking patterns and provides alarms to family members and caregivers when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have also created tablet-based software that integrates with a social robot to deliver reminiscence therapy and promote physical activity for people living with dementia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How are older adults, carers or practitioners involved in shaping these robotic solutions?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We work closely with care homes and charities. Focus groups and co-design sessions are central to our process, enabling us to gather insights and optimise technologies to better support older adults, people living with dementia, and their caregivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why is the interdisciplinary approach so valuable?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The interdisciplinary approach helps us develop more suitable technologies. Gerontology and psychiatry provide insights into the behavioural modes of people living with dementia. Sociology helps us run focus groups and co-design sessions. Robotics then translates this knowledge into feasible technological solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What role does BRL and UWE Bristol play in leading this kind of innovation?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The assistive robotics group at UWE is leading the co-creation of these technologies, connecting users\u2019 expectations with innovative solutions to empower carers and family members. We are developing an ecosystem that integrates tech innovators in the UK to accelerate translation and improve affordability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How does this work connect to UWE\u2019s RISE priorities?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We are aligned with RISE priorities, working closely with users to develop simple and reliable solutions that can transform care delivery for people living with dementia. This reflects both Innovation with Impact<\/em> and Shaping integrated healthcare<\/em>, helping address the ongoing challenges faced by the NHS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What do you hope participants will take away from the workshop?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I hope participants will witness our technologies in action and gain a better understanding of the importance of interdisciplinary research in dementia care. We also hope to foster new collaborations and inspire more people to join this field of research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, what\u2019s next for this area of research?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The next step is to deploy these technologies in care homes so people living with dementia can experience them over the long term. The greatest opportunity for impact is to reduce the pressure and burden on caregivers, while ensuring that everyone has access to dignified, person-centred care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udd17 Want to know more?<\/strong> Gerontechnology Journal \u2013 Robotic Assistive Technology<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n IEEE Xplore: Smart Walker for Cognitive Support<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n IEEE Xplore: Reminiscence Therapy with Robots<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Frontiers in Robotics and AI \u2013 Socially Assistive Robotics<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udcc5 Workshop details:<\/strong> \ud83d\udccc RISE connection:<\/strong> This work exemplifies Innovation with impact<\/em> by co-designing robotic solutions that address real-world challenges in dementia care. It also contributes to Shaping integrated healthcare<\/em>, one of our four RISE beacons, by bringing technology, health expertise, and lived experience together to improve independence, dignity and quality of life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In early October, the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) will host the 2nd Workshop on Enabling Independence with Robotic Solutions for Enhanced Wellbeing. The event brings together experts from sociology, psychiatry, gerontology, dementia care, and robotics to explore how socially assistive robots can support independence, dignity, and wellbeing for people living with dementia. We spoke to … Continue reading “Innovation with impact – exploring robotic solutions for dementia care: in conversation with Dr Carlos Cifuentes”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":7383,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":1446,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1446,127,108,1,272,4],"tags":[11,150,96,42,62,74,75,226,271,76],"class_list":["post-7382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-innovation","category-research-business-innovation","category-technology","category-uncategorised","category-university-enterprise-zone","category-uwe-bristol-research","tag-bristol","tag-bristol-robotics-laboratory","tag-brl","tag-innovation","tag-research","tag-uwe","tag-uwe-bristol","tag-uwe-bristol-research","tag-uwe-bristol-robotics","tag-uwe-research"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7382"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7382\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7454,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7382\/revisions\/7454"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/research-external-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Explore some of the team\u2019s recent research on socially assistive robotics and dementia:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Date: Friday 3 October 2025
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: Seminar Room OT145, Bristol Robotics Laboratory, UWE Bristol
Registration is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n