Book a Demo with Ryan

Ryan in Clinical Studies

Evidence-Based Results

SPONSORS AND COLLABORATORS
$236 BILLION USD

The Value of Research

Americans suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) cost the nation $236 billion annually with projected annual costs of over $1 trillion by 2050. Socially assistive robots like Ryan offer a scalable approach to robot-assisted cognitive therapy, improving older adult well-being, making caregivers more efficient and effective, providing significant financial benefits to the healthcare industry, and assisting families who are looking for better ways to support older adults living with AD.

Ryan leading a group session
Empathetic Engagement
Always Caring
Leading Group Activities

Evidence of Efficacy

Across NIH and NSF-funded clinical trials in human-robot interaction for elderly care, participants spent over 887 hours interacting with Ryan, with significant improvements in cognitive scores (SLUMS) and depression indicators (PHQ-9). Both empathetic and non-empathetic versions of our social robot for dementia care showed positive effects on mood and engagement, with users finding the emotionally-intelligent Ryan more likable and engaging. These results demonstrate the potential of AI-powered companion robots in senior living communities. Request a demo to see Ryan in action.

Key Papers and Publications

PAPER TITLE
PRIMARY FOCUS
DATE/SOURCE

A Pilot Study on Using an Intelligent Life-Like Robot as a Companion for Elderly Individuals with Dementia and Depression

IEEE Humanoids · 2017

Initial feasibility study with six elderly individuals with moderate dementia and depression in a Denver senior living facility. Each had 24/7 access to Ryan for 4-6 weeks, resulting in lower stress levels.

A Pilot Study on Using an Intelligent Life-Like Robot as a Companion for Elderly Individuals with Dementia and Depression

Initial feasibility study with six elderly individuals with moderate dementia/depression in a Denver senior living facility. Each had 24/7 access to Ryan for 4-6 weeks, resulting in lower stress levels.

IEEE Humanoids 2017

Artificial Emotional Intelligence in Socially Assistive Robots for Older Adults: A Pilot Study

PMC / NIH · 2023

Compared empathetic vs. non-empathetic versions of Ryan with 10 older adults. Found significant mood improvement with both versions; users found the emotionally-intelligent Ryan more engaging and likable.

Artificial Emotional Intelligence in Socially Assistive Robots for Older Adults: A Pilot Study

Compared empathetic vs. non-empathetic versions of Ryan with 10 older adults. Found significant mood improvement with both versions; users found the emotionally-intelligent Ryan more engaging and likable.

PMC / NIH 2023

Robot-Administered Serious Brain Games for Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's & Dementia · 2023

20 participants spent 887 hours with Ryan, playing 12 different cognitive games. Average SLUMS scores improved by 3.3 points and PHQ-9 depression scores improved by 2.43 points.

Robot-Administered Serious Brain Games for Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease

20 participants spent 887 hours with Ryan, playing 12 different cognitive games. Average SLUMS scores improved by 3.3 points and PHQ-9 depression scores improved by 2.43 points.

Alzheimer's & Dementia 2023

Development of Ryan Companion Robot for Assisting Elderly People with Alzheimer's Disease

ClinicalTrials.gov · 2021

Clinical trial measuring Ryan's impact on quality of life, Alzheimer's disease symptoms, and depression through blood biomarker analysis over an 8-10 week interaction period.

Development of Ryan Companion Robot for Assisting Elderly People with Alzheimer's Disease

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05052866

Clinical trial measuring Ryan's impact on quality of life, AD symptoms, and depression through blood biomarker analysis over an 8-10 week interaction period.

ClinicalTrials.gov 2021

A Pilot Study on Facial Expression Recognition Ability of Autistic Children Using Ryan, a Rear-Projected Humanoid Robot

IEEE RO-MAN · 2018

Six children with ASD and six typically developing children tested facial expression recognition using Ryan. Increasing expression intensity significantly improved recognition accuracy.

A Pilot Study on Facial Expression Recognition Ability of Autistic Children Using Ryan, a Rear-Projected Humanoid Robot

Six children with ASD and six typically developing children tested facial expression recognition using Ryan. Increasing expression intensity significantly improved recognition accuracy.

IEEE RO-MAN 2018