ReJAM Objective

The ReJAM research aims to develop Robots engaging elderly in Joint Activities with Music. It is a cooperation between the Delft University of Technology, TNO and other organizations, and connected to the Joint Artificial Intelligence Network “JAIN” and the QoLEAD project. The objective of ReJAM is the promotion of physical, cognitive, emotional, and social wellbeing through various music-enriched activities, e.g. physical exercises, games, reminiscence, music listening, and making music together. The activities are designed especially for recurring meaningful (daily) activities: The ReJAM system is well-suited for use in meeting centers or together with (possibly remote) visitors at home.

Research indicates that music can have positive effects on people with dementia: it relaxes people, helps them during reminiscence, lifts their spirit and mood, and stimulates social connectedness. An important challenge is to personalise the music, the activities, and the interactions, while keeping the demands placed on caregivers at a low level. We have developed a list of requirements and envisioned interactions that together provide a blueprint for a system that fits the demands, needs, desires, values, and living environment of people with dementia. In ongoing research, this blueprint is extended and refined.

The Socio-Cognitive Engineering (SCE) method and tool are being applied to support (1) the human-centered research and development process, (2) the collaboration between project partners, and 3) the sharing of project outcomes for further application or development. Following this method, we develop and test the social robots together with the target group and care environment, so that they actually help improve the well-being of the elderly. In doing so, the robots aim to complement and strengthen the support of caregivers. Examples of robot support include a music quiz with space for sharing memories, giving personal reminders for daily activities, performing a creative activity (painting, music) and doing gym exercises.

Current key activities:

Yanzhe Li is working on his PhD-project concerning the personalized dialogue between a social robot (Pepper) and an older adult. His research focuses on robot's support of a person's prospective memory to perform their daily activities independently. 

In the QoLEAD project, Paul Raingeard de la Blétière is working on his PhD-research to further investigate and develop a social robot that supports people with dementia, among other things by sharing (positive) experience based on an affective-cognitive memory module that addresses the influence of music. 

Ricardo Vogel is working on his MSc-project concerning the support a dog-like robot could provide for older adult's, so that they can perform their daily activities smoothly.

Shambhawi Pal is working on her MSc-project, exploring LLM to model memory of a social robot for interactions with PwD in a painting activity.

Manali Shah is working on her MSc-project on a robot to play Karaoke in a small group of people with dementia in a care home.

Anagha Magadi Rajeev is working on her MSc-project on a robot with a tap to play interface for participatory music making for PwD.