COMRADE: Intelligent Microcontroller Based

Robotic Dog for Elders using IOT

Proponent:
King Johnnel Olgado
Ma. Kimberly Cruz
Sittie Jaina Kusain
John Paulo Cordero
Ma. Bernadette Sheyne Mariano
Hadrian Zion Ladrillo
 COLLEGE OF COMPUTER STUDIES

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

1.1 The Problem and its Background

This study aims to give life to the idea of combining the benefits of having
pets to technology innovation and provide a solution that can address and solve
problems of elders being neglected that leads to unwanted aftereffects. To
innovate and create an invention that would make a great impact and social
relevance to uphold the right of elders to be treated the way they are supposed to
be treated. To provide a permanent answer to mitigate a problem that seemed to
be forgotten by this world full of temporary solutions.

1.2 Introduction

The world is aging fast, and one of the greatest challenges of the twenty
first century is the tremendously increased numbers of elderly (Bennett and
Ebrahim 1995, pp.2-9; McInnis-Dittrich 2009, p.10; WHOa, 2011). Increased
longevity is not only a triumph for society but a huge challenge. It is essential to
be prepared to address the needs of the elderly at the community level.
Therefore, it would be paramount that health care providers are well versed in
common symptoms or diseases among the elderly, which can often be prevented
or delayed (WHOa, 2011).

As we age, many of us are alone more often than when we were younger,
leaving us vulnerable to social isolation and loneliness—and related health
problems such as cognitive decline, depression, and heart disease. Fortunately,
there are ways to counteract these negative effects. When individuals are
rejected or excluded, they feel strong negative emotions such as anxiety,
jealousy, depression, and grief. In fact, the psychological pain caused by social
rejection is so intense that it involves the same brain regions involved in the
experience of physical pain.

Every day, we tend to be busy with our school works, office works,
businesses, etc. But have you ever think of your Grandmother or Grandfather
that you've left alone inside your house? Have you ever wonder if they're taking
their medicines on-time? Or eating their food on-time? Psychological pain may
result to anxiety, depression, chronic pain or worst suicidal. Some elders don't
know how to express the negative emotions they are feeling inside. As they grow
older, they wanted a sense of belongingness towards their family. This kind of
psychological pain may weakened their body and immune system.

1.3 Background of the study

According to the Ginshaw, in one study, when people were presented

with stressful tasks in four different situations -- alone, with their spouse, with
their pet, or with both their spouse and their pet -- they experienced the lowest
stress response and the quickest recovery in the situation where they were only
with their pet. While stronger pet-owner bonds usually lead to the greatest stress
relief, even brief encounters can create improvements. In one study, patients
who spent a short amount of time with a dog before upcoming treatment
operation experienced a 37 percent reduction in their anxiety levels, perhaps
because the animal's presence helped distract them from their concerns.

Elder abuse is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action,

occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which
cause harm or distress to an older person. This type of violence constitutes a
violation of human rights and includes physical, sexual, psychological and
emotional abuse, financial and material abuse, abandonment, neglect and
serious loss of dignity and respect. Psychological abuse ranks first in community
settings with 11.6% in the prevalence study of the World Health Organization
(WHO). Followed by physical, financial and neglect. To synthesize, common
grounds of saving thoughts on finding out what keeps this problem prevail, would
fall to the fact that psychological distress contributes most to the highest number
of what makes elders suffer from abuse.

In lieu to the fact that this major concern of the "minority", being elders
who suffer from abuse and neglect, seemed to be unceasing. Graphs through
charts explaining on how population of elders would cut the edge of these tabled-
numbers, requires an imminent solution that embodies the mission of mitigating
this problem this world ought to solve. They need a sense of belongingness.
Providing them good elderly care by yourself or with help of professionals stops
them from feeling isolated and depressed. You help continue to provide them a
sense of community, a social life, which empowers and energizes them.

1.5 Theoretical Framework

“Carrying out actions automatically.” This is a key element in robotics, but

also in many other simpler machines called automata. The difference between a
robot and a simple automaton like a dishwasher is in the definition of what a
“complex series of actions” is. Is washing clothes composed of a complex series
of actions or not? Is flying a plane on autopilot a complex action? Is cooking
bread complex? For all these tasks there are machines that are at the boundary
between automata and robots. “Programmable by a computer” is another key
element of a robot, because some automata are programmed mechanically and
are not very flexible. On the other hand computers are found everywhere, so it is
hard to use this criterion to distinguish a robot from another machine.
 “Household robots.” Of course, not everything in a household can be
done by robots, at least not yet. Still, there are jobs where robot application can
be justified at the moment. There are two main criteria that should be met when
thinking about buying a household robot. At first, you should find out how
effectively a robot can do its job. The robot's efficiency should be high enough for
your specific application. Different applications could require different levels of
efficiency. Second, a robot's use should be economically justifiable. Maybe it's
cheaper to pay someone to do the job than to buy a robot. This goes more too
commercial applications like shop or pool cleaning. Of course, the time you
spend to clean a room also counts.

Applying robotics in medical field. One of the example is “Telepresence

Robot”. A telepresence robot is defined as a computer-controlled robot with basic
components consisting of a video camera, a screen, a microphone, and a
speaker, which allow viewing and verbal exchange for both sides of the
conversation (Chan, N.D.). Telepresence robots have various applications in the
academic, business, household, and hospital settings. One application of
telepresence robots in the medical field is in medical consultations; however,
these robots lack medical features to provide better diagnosis and they only
include means of talking face-to-face to a doctor using a real-time video
projected by the robot. This shows the gap between the medical services
provided by a present medical practitioner and a telepresence robot. That is why
medical equipment should be integrated to improve the diagnostic capabilities of
telepresence robots used for medical consultation.

Using IOT, one of the examples is “IOT Car Parking System”. Nowadays
congestion of traffic level increases with the increasing development of
population rapidly. With respect to the amount of population, the utilization of
personal vehicles also increased. Due to more use of cars the traffic congestion
occurred on the road. Most of the people chooses personal vehicles than public
transportation. It is very difficult and time consuming to find parking space in
most metropolitan areas, commercial areas, especially during the rush hours. It is
often costly in almost every big city in all over the world to find proper and secure
parking space. The proposed project is a smart parking system that delivers
information to people finding a parking space online. It overcomes unnecessary
time consuming for finding the problem of parking space in parking areas. Hence,
the website is provided by this project based system where users can view
various parking areas and choose the space from available slots.

Though the idea of having robotic nurses continues to go advance, no

apparent literature depicts the impact of creating one that would be specified into
certain benefactors, for example, to the elderly. Robot dogs like AIBO, a series
of robotic pets designed to give "companionship" to solve distress and help
provide better mental stature but, with COMRADE it is like an all-in-one solution
that helps solve a certain problem for certain people, the elders. Because they
need and it is like the time when the society still needed them, it is right and just
to give something in return for them.

Second is the “IOT Based ICU Patient Monitoring System”. This IOT
based ICU Monitoring system can be used for critically ill patients. The patients
under critical condition need to be under observation all the time. Doctors need to
update the health-related parameters like blood pressure, heart pulse and
temperature. This system will collect this information with the help of few sensors
and keeps on updating this health information on IOT. This system is powered by
Raspberry Pi, it consists of temperature sensor, blood pressure and heart beat
sensor and an LCD display module. Thus, doctor can get the patients’ health
information over internet from anywhere.
 1.6 Conceptual Framework

PROCESS

INPUT  Sensors for Heart OUTPUT

 Vital Reader rate and Body
 Reminder Temperature COMRADE:
 Alarm  Voice recognition
Intelligent Microcontroller
 Voice Recognition nodule through
Based Robotic Dog for
 Mechanical Bluetooth and
elders using IOT
Functionalities android
 Internet of things
Module for
gathering and
sending
data/commands

COMRADE

1.7 Objectives

 General objectives
o The main objective of this project is to provide them a

good elderly care and to prevent their depression by the

robotic dog using IOT.
 Specific objectives
 o To entertain the elder by commanding the dog using

Voice Recognition Module.

o To monitor the elder reading their heart rate and body

temperature using Heartbeat sensor and MAX30205

temperature sensor.

o To help the elder monitor the appliances using IOT.

1.8 Scope and Limitation

Scope

As we come up with this project, we wanted to expand the scope of the

device. It can be A Friendly reminder and alarm. It duly notes on what time is it
and reminds elder to have their medications already through reacting like
barking. It would notify the elder that it is about time for some medications; A
Vital reader. It can read elder’s heart rate and body temperature thru sensors
embedded in it. It also have the option if the elder wants to send the blood
pressure, body temperature and heart rate to his or her personal doctor, for
his/her health monitoring; A Simple Voice recognition. It could let COMRADE go
sit when word “sit” uttered and stand to word “stand”; A Robotic/ Mechanical
functionalities. It could walk, bark, wag its tail and sit.

Limitation

This project aims to provide a solution towards the problem. But it also
has a limitations. As it is a device and not a real dog, it can bark but can’t talk.
Also, it can’t stay up all night. It has battery to charge up. And as we read the
vital signs of the elders, it can’t read a blood pressure and different vital signs
except the pulse rate and body temperature.

1.9 Significance of the Study

 Elder - This project will give them a good elderly care by monitoring

and entertaining the elder.

 Family of the elder - This project will help them to monitor the elder in

their own house.

 Researchers - They will fulfill the requirements on the subject that they

are taking. The awareness of having this kind of problem and help
them to develop their own knowledge in innovating.

 Future researchers - For the future references of innovating and

developing this project or study.

1.10 Definition of terms

"Robotics" is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and science that

includes mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, information
engineering, computer science and others. Robotics deals with the design,
construction, operation, and use of robots, as well as computer systems for their
control, sensory feedback, and information processing.

“Heartbeat Sensor (Heart Rate Monitor)” is an electronic device that is

used to measure the heart rate i.e. speed of the heartbeat. This is a simple and
low-cost optical technique that can be used to detect blood volume changing in
the micro vascular bed of tissues. It is relatively easy to detect the pulsatile
component of the cardiac cycle according to this theory.
 “MAX30205 temperature sensor” accurately measures temperature
and provide an over temperature alarm/interrupt/shutdown output. This device
converts the temperature measurements to digital form using a high-resolution,
sigma-delta, analog-to-digital converter (ADC).

“Proximity sensor” is an electronic sensor that can detect the presence

of objects within its vicinity without any actual physical contact. In order to sense
objects, the proximity sensor radiates or emits a beam of electromagnetic
radiation, usually in the form of infrared light, and senses the reflection in order to
determine the object's proximity or distance from the sensor.

“Voice Recognition Module” is a compact easy-control speaking

recognition board. It is a speaker-dependent module and supports up to 80 voice
commands. Any sound could be trained as command. Users need to train the
module first before recognizing any voice command. Voice commands are stored
in one large group like a library. Any 7 voice commands in the library could be
imported into recognizer. It means 7 commands are effective at the same time.

1.11 Review of Related Literature Studies

Foreign Literatures and Studies

The emotional burden of the accumulated negative might lead to

depressed mood, which although might just be a normal reaction to events such
as bereavement, it can also be a feature of depression. The end-of-life
development of depressive symptoms has been thoroughly investigated, and it is
unanimously accepted that depression is the most prevalent and the most
treatable mental health problem in old age. Apart from its major emotional
impact, depression can a typically also cause somatic symptoms such as fatigue.
(Zis, P., Daskalaki, A., & Paladini, A.)

Coexisting mental and physical problems make recognition of depression

in elder persons more difficult because presenting symptoms of depression are
often masked by physical problems. In addition, most elder people who have
depression never seek or obtain treatment because of the commonly held myth
that depression is a normal part of the aging process and that elder people
cannot benefit from psychotherapy.(Benek-Higgins, M., McReynolds, C., Hogan,
E., & Savickas, S.)

People who find themselves unexpectedly alone due to the death of a

spouse or partner, separation from friends or family, retirement, loss of mobility,
and lack of transportation are at particular risk. Conversely, people who engage
in meaningful, productive activities with others tend to live longer, boost their
mood, and have a sense of purpose. These activities seem to help maintain their
well-being and may improve their cognitive function, studies show. (Dr. John T.
Cacioppo, Ph.D.,)

According to Vangelisti and Perlman (2006, pp.485-500), social isolation

is a subject concerned with the objective characteristics of a situation and refers
to the absence of relationships with other people, that is to say, they believe that
persons with a very small number of meaningful ties are socially isolated.

Turning to the effects of being socially isolated, Cacioppo, et al. (2002)

state that social isolation or social support has been associated with increased
vascular resistance, elevated blood pressure, impaired sleep, altered immunity,
alcoholism, progression of Alzheimer’s disease, obesity and poorer physical
health. In other words, socially isolated individuals have a higher possibility of
suffering from health issues (Nicholson, 2008). Also, drinking, falls, depressive
symptoms, cognitive decline and poor outcome after stroke, nutritional risk,
increased rates of re-hospitalization, loneliness and alteration in the family
process were mentioned as specific social isolation negative effects linked to
social network. The truly existing negative effects prove that social isolation has a
far-reaching impact on elderly well-being (Nicholson 2008).

Aging is a series of processes that begin with life and continue throughout
the life cycle. It represents the closing period in the lifespan, a time when the
individual looks back on life, lives on past accomplishments and begins to finish
off his life course. Adjusting to the changes that accompany old age requires that
an individual is flexible and develops new coping skills to adapt to the changes
that are common to this time in their lives (Warnick, 1995).

Depression or the occurrence of depressive symptomatology is a

prominent condition amongst older people, with a significant impact on the well-
being and quality of life. Many studies have demonstrated that the prevalence of
depressive symptoms increases with age (Kennedy, 1996). Depressive
symptoms not only have an important place as indicators of psychological well-
being but are also recognized as significant predictors of functional health and
longevity. Longitudinal studies demonstrate that increased depressive symptoms
are significantly associated with increased difficulties with activities of daily living
(Penninx et al., 1998). Community-based data indicate that older persons with
major depressive disorders are at increased risk of mortality (Bruce, 1994).

Loneliness was associated with increasing age. The reason behind is

shrinking of the social network, caused by loss of partner and friends. (Victor et
al. 2005, 369; Savikko 2008, 40-43; Theeke 2009, 393-394.) However, it has
been found that after age of eighty-five, loneliness does not play a significant role
in elderly people’s lives (Tiikkainen, & Heikkinen 2005, 529; Victor et al. 2005,
371). In this age, not amount of social contact but a quality of relationship is more
important (Holmén & Furukawa 2002, 269). Another explanation of decreased
perception of loneliness in this age group may be “survivor effect and adaptive
response” (Victor et al. 2005, 371). Lonely people either die or move from
community to institutional care or they overcome the bereavement process and
adjust to new circumstances. (Tijhuis, De Jong-Gierveld, Feskens & Kromhout
1999, 494; Holmén & Furukawa 2002, 271; Victor et al. 2005, 371; Tilvis, Laitala,
Routasalo & Pitkälä 2011.)

In the process of human development, societies tend to move from

having a combination of low life expectancy and high fertility to the opposite of a
combination of high life expectancy and low fertility. This process, known as the
demographic transition, has spread throughout the world and has driven not only
global population growth for the last two centuries but also the aging of the
world’s population. (James S. Guseh)

Local Literatures and Studies

Family caregivers assume a major responsibility in our health care

system by giving a notable contribution of the care for both chronically ill and
aging elderly family member. Family caregivers give the majority of long-term
care to the elderly patient (Levine et al., 2004). Their works encompass unpaid
cares given to an older family member, spouse, friend, or neighbour in family
relationships who is functionally dependent or chronically ill (Schumacher, Beck,
and Marren, 2006).

The revolutionary likelihood of humanoid nurse robots (HNRs) being and

becoming able to manifest caring is inspired by philosophical and theoretical
viewpoints such as those that Plato‟s philosophical thoughts inspire. HNRs are
robotic technologies with features much like humans and engendered with
capabilities. Relying on logical explanations, the questions posited in this article
are “What is the nature of HNRs as caring entities?” and “are humanoid nurse
robots functionally able to manifest caring?” With this revolutionizing possibility,
will the involvement of HNRs in nursing influence human health and well-being?(
Rozzano C. Locsin , Hirokazu Ito , Tetsuya Tanioka , Yuko Yasuhara , Kyoko
Osaka2 & Savina O. Schoenhofer)

Concerns about humanness, caring in nursing, and the technologies of

health care while promoting the appreciation of wholeness of persons as persons
are highlighted as integral to HNR development and „thinking nursing‟. Currently,
a common and traditional appreciation of caring practice in nursing consists of
caring demonstrated through skillfulness in the completion of procedures
specifically as nursing interventions. This imagery seems to illuminate nursing
practice as perpetuated in a positivist philosophical viewpoint. It is the
researchers‟ stance that completion of procedures is not in itself a sufficient end
goal for nursing practice; yet frequently, within the traditional nursing process of
assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation, nursing practice is popularly
guided by a prescriptive or predictive practice. As Locsin and Purnell (2009)
expressed, the ideal of caring in the practice of nursing ought to involve
theoretically-based engagements informed by intelligent know-how. ( Rozzano C.
Locsin , Hirokazu Ito , Tetsuya Tanioka , Yuko Yasuhara , Kyoko Osaka &
Savina O. Schoenhofer)

The impacts of artificial intelligence/ AI to major industries worldwide

cannot be ignored. In healthcare, AI has led to the inception of a ‘cognitive
hospital’ and efficient resource management; knowledge discovery in large
datasets and literature for pharmacological and clinical studies; treatment
decisions; advanced medical diagnostics; surgical robots; mobile health
technologies for health assessments and medication adherence with chatbots or
virtual care assistants; home care robots; and public health.(Joannes Paulus
Tolentino Hernandez)

The introduction of telemedicine on our country helps to diminish the

reported medication errors every year. This has a feature monitoring the patients’
health conditions helping the hospital personnel like the doctors and nurses to
respond quickly to the situation of the patients and to give them proper diagnosis.
(Dalisay, F., Mariano, R., Nayanaya, L., Santos, C., Vasques, M., Venturina, A.,)

Telemedicine is the remote delivery of healthcare services, such as

health assessments or consultations, over the telecommunications infrastructure.
It allows healthcare providers to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients using
common technology, such as video conferencing and smartphones, without the
need for an in-person visit.
 As various parties seek more efficient ways to provide care at less cost to
the patient, telemedicine's role has grown. It is often a time-saving way for a
consumer to see and speak to a clinician for minor and non-urgent medical
needs instead of going to a primary care physician's office or emergency
department. In recent years, many states have passed laws that make
telemedicine easier to practice, and federal health regulators are also exploring
ways to further grant Medicare reimbursements for telemedicine services.
(Rouse, M.)

1.12 Synthesis
As we grow older, psychological pain becomes part of our
development. But it tend to be worsen if you don't give a treatment.
Psychotherapy was the main solution that they are thinking. But as they are
undergoing the therapy, they need to have their own accountability. A
companionship. As we study about this problem, pets which is dogs and cats
was one of the stress-reliever of human beings. Studies show that interactions
with therapy animals can decrease stress in humans. Playing with or petting an
animal can increase levels of the stress-reducing hormone oxytocin and
decrease production of the stress hormone cortisol. This shows that our product,
together with technology, can help our elders.
 COLLEGE OF COMPUTER STUDIES

CHAPTER 2

RESEARCH METHADOLOGY

2.1 Research Design

The study uses a quantitative-research method. With the selected elders,

we gather their data and analyze the effect of the problem. The end result of this
research method can be a great tool to identify the advantage and disadvantages
of the device that can be used for improvement and innovation of the device.

2.3 Research Locale

The researchers will conduct the study in the Home of the Aged that is
located in Bulacan. They'll select a 5 to 10 elders who will test the device. The
researchers wanted to know the improvements that is needed. So we'll also give
some questionnaire for them to rate their satisfaction towards the device. This
questionnaire could be a great tool to identify if the user was satisfied with the
device.

2.3 Research Participants

 The respondent of the study will be the selected elders of the Home for
the Aged. As well as the nurses and doctors of the orphanage. The nurses and
doctors will test if they can receive the vital signs of the participant.

2.4 Research Instrument

The researcher will use a researcher-made questionnaire. That will help

the researchers to improve the device. The draft of the questionnaire was drawn
out based on the category of efficiency, effectiveness, accuracy and use
friendliness of the device. Scaled from Very Satisfied, Satisfied, Not Satisfied &
Need Improvements.

2.5 Data Gathering Procedure

Researchers will present a letter to the office of the Home for the Aged for
the approval of the experiment. If the letter will be approved, researchers will
select at least 5 to 10 elders who will test the device. The researchers will also
ask a permission from the nurses and doctors to guide them for their vital signs.
After the test, researchers will distribute the questionnaire.

2.6 Ethical Consideration

The proponents ensure that information’s of the selected participants will

be accountable on the privacy of their personal information. With our objective,
we wanted to help the elders and even the nurses and doctors in the experiment.
We hope for the participation of the participants. We would love to hear their
feedbacks that would us to improve our device. We aimed that our device could
bring light and hope to the elders who need a sense of belongingness. We aimed
to see smiles on their faces as they use the device.

2.7 Bibliography

Singh, A. and Misra, N. “Loneliness, depression and sociability in old age”

Retrieved January - June 2009 from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3016701/
Muhumed, K. & Cervinkova M. “Effect of Loneliness on Elderly People’s Lives”
Retrieved October 2009 from
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e438/53756c275285402a4342fd1631f38eb7bf0
e.pdf
Wu, Y. & Zhang, C. “The Impact of Isolation and Loneliness on Elderly Well-
being” Retrieved August 28, 2011 from
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/8e28/5e3ac6f354bca864e98093417cb362df28fb
.pdf
Social isolation, loneliness in older people pose health risks Retrieved April 23,
2019 from https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-
pose-health-risks
Hernandez, Johannes Paule (February 2019) “Network Diffusion and Technology
Acceptance of a Nurse Chatbot for Chronic Disease Self-Management Support:
Theoretical Perspective”
Shoko Ujike, RN; PhD, Yuko Yasuhara, RN; PhD, Kyoko Osaka, RN; PhD, Miki
Sato, RN; PhD, Elmer Catangui, RN,MBA,MSN, Shoko Edo, OTR, Eiji Takigawa,
OTR, Yoshihiro Mifune,MD, Tetsuya Tanioka, RN; PhD, FAAN, and Kazushi
Mifune, MD; PhD (February 2019) “Encounter of Pepper-CPGE”
Locsin, R., Ito, H., Tanioka, T., Yasuhara, Y., Osaka, K., & Schoenhofer, S.
(August 22, 2018) “Humanoid Nurse Robots as Caring Entities: A Revolutionary
Probability?”
Alvarez, MSN, RN, I., Ong, DScN, DM, RN, M., Abocejo, MPP, PhD, F., (August
2017) “Learning Needs and Quality Care among Family Caregivers and Elderly
Patients of Guadalupe, Cebu City, Central Philippines”
James S.Guseh (2016) “Aging of the World’s Population”, The Wiley Blackwell
Encyclopedia of Family Studies, First Edition
Baldovino, R., Abad, A., Carranza, K., Day, N., Lin, L., Ponce, A., and Reyes, W.,
(November 2018) “Development of a Telepresence Robot with Integration of a
General Practice Medical Consultation Module”
Dalisay, F., Mariano, R., Nayanaya, L., Santos, C., Vasques, M., Venturina, A.,
“The Electronic Nurse” Retrieved from March 2011

Rouse, Margaret “Telemedicine” Retrieved 2018 from

https://searchhealthit.techtarget.com/definition/telemedicine