Voice assistants for dementia (GRACE)

Emerging Technology & Research Overview

A voice assistant, GRACE, to improve the quality of life in individuals with dementia, by providing behavioural and lifestyle multicomponent interventions. The projects follows the three phase Multiphase Optimisation Strategy to build, optimise, and evaluate a socio-technical artefact. Phase 1 includes the preparation phase, where the main outputs will be the conceptual model and prototype v1. Phase 2 will involve optimising the identified intervention components to be delivered through a voice assistant, as well as prototype v2. Phase 3 includes an RCT study to test the effectiveness of GRACE to improve the primary outcome - quality of life, in end-users.

• Dr. Rasita Vinay

GRACE is designed to be a voice assistant that provides behavioral and lifestyle interventions to people with dementia. The development of the socio-technical artefact will follow the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST), a novel framework developed to optimize interventions. A Value Sensitive Design (VSD) approach will also be applied complementary to the MOST framework, for the ethical design and development pipeline of GRACE. It will be supported by the Ethics by Design for AI (EbD-AI) framework, which provides concrete guidelines on applying ethical values to building new AI-based technologies. The aim of GRACE will be to improve the quality of life of individuals living with dementia, and promote independence and aging in place. In order to meet the goals of this project, the MOST framework details a three-phase intervention building, optimization and evaluation framework, which this study hopes to follow. Phase 1 of GRACE (2025 - 2029) will focus on the preparation phase, where the conceptual model informing intervention components will be identified, GRACE prototype v1 developed and tested among key stakeholders, key constraints will be identified, and the final interventions to be provided through GRACE prototype v2 will be selected. Phase 2 (2029-2030) will consist of optimization trials to understand the relationship between each intervention components and how they influence each other towards the primary outcome (QOL). Grace prototype v3 will be prepared as the final version of the voice assistant technology. Phase 3 (2031 - onwards) will see the implementation of the final GRACE v3 prototype in a RCT trial across Switzerland. This project hopes to bring together experts in biomedical ethics, design science research, digital health and engineering.

Financed by: IBME, UZH and School of Medicine, University of St. Gallen

Duration: March 2024 - February 2025

Financed by: SNF Project Funding

Duration: March 2025 - February 2029