14 Use-Case Example 1: Misty Companion Robot as Alzheimer's Application

In this chapter, we present the strategic road map developed by a graduate engineering team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for an artificial intelligence (Al)-powered Misty companion robot designed to help assist the elderly who suffer from Alzheimer's disease. The MIT team consisted of graduate students Kristen Railey, Mesert Kebede, Rebecca Zubajlo, and Udgam Goyal. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurologic disorder that gradually destroys memory, thinking, and behavior. Its symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with one's ability to carry out the simplest daily tasks [1]. It is among the top ten leading causes of death in the US, and the fifth leading cause of death among adults aged 65 years or older. As of 2020, experts estimated that nearly 5.8 million Americans aged 65 years or older had Alzheimer's disease. That number is projected to nearly triple by 2060 [2].