Start Date
5-12-2025 12:00 PM
End Date
5-12-2025 1:00 PM
Description
The rapid growth of the aging population has increased rates of loneliness, depression, and cognitive decline among older adults, particularly those living alone or with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Socially assistive robots such as Paro have demonstrated therapeutic and emotional benefits; however, existing systems remain costly and inaccessible. This project introduces Bloom, a low-cost, physically interactive social robot designed to provide emotional companionship and cognitive engagement.
Built on a Raspberry Pi 5 platform and inspired by the open-source Blossom robot, Bloom features a durable 3D-printed hard-shell design with motor-driven expressive movements that support tactile interaction. The system integrates local speech processing with a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline connected to a large language model, enabling context-aware and empathetic conversations. Capacitive touch sensing and facial recognition further enhance responsiveness and familiarity.
Bloom will be evaluated through a human-subject study conducted in collaboration with the School of Aging Studies. Participants will engage in structured interaction sessions followed by surveys measuring empathy and usability using established methods. Conversational metrics will be logged to quantify engagement, consistent with prior chatbot engagement research. Bayesian statistical modeling will be used to analyze participant responses.
By combining affordability, expressive physical design, and conversational intelligence, Bloom aims to provide social companionship that supports emotional well-being in older adults.
Bloom: A Low-Cost, Open-Source, Companion Social Robot
The rapid growth of the aging population has increased rates of loneliness, depression, and cognitive decline among older adults, particularly those living alone or with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Socially assistive robots such as Paro have demonstrated therapeutic and emotional benefits; however, existing systems remain costly and inaccessible. This project introduces Bloom, a low-cost, physically interactive social robot designed to provide emotional companionship and cognitive engagement.
Built on a Raspberry Pi 5 platform and inspired by the open-source Blossom robot, Bloom features a durable 3D-printed hard-shell design with motor-driven expressive movements that support tactile interaction. The system integrates local speech processing with a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline connected to a large language model, enabling context-aware and empathetic conversations. Capacitive touch sensing and facial recognition further enhance responsiveness and familiarity.
Bloom will be evaluated through a human-subject study conducted in collaboration with the School of Aging Studies. Participants will engage in structured interaction sessions followed by surveys measuring empathy and usability using established methods. Conversational metrics will be logged to quantify engagement, consistent with prior chatbot engagement research. Bayesian statistical modeling will be used to analyze participant responses.
By combining affordability, expressive physical design, and conversational intelligence, Bloom aims to provide social companionship that supports emotional well-being in older adults.