Designing Technology For Aging Well

by Shelley White

Whether it’s a robot that prompts people with dementia to perform daily tasks or motion sensors that can predict cognitive impairment, Alex Mihailidis ’92 believes artificial intelligence and robotics can help solve the challenges facing our aging population.

“One of the important things for older adults is to get away from a reactive healthcare model,” says Mihailidis, a professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto (U of T). “It’s the predictive component which is really powerful in the support of older adults and their health – understanding that something may change with the person, and then putting that intervention in place right away.”

On top of his work as a professor and researcher, Mihailidis is scientific director at AGE-WELL NCE, which stands for Aging Gracefully across Environments using Technology to support Wellness, Engagement and Long Life. AGE-WELL is funded through the federal government’s Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE).

Since launching AGE-WELL in 2015, Mihailidis has created a network of 40 universities and research centres, almost 300 researchers and nearly 270 industry and government partners that are developing technological-based solutions to help Canadian seniors remain healthy and well in their own communities.

“We want to move these things from the research labs to the hands of the people who need them – the older adults themselves,” he says.

In the past four years since it was created, AGE-WELL has been very active in developing startup companies, says Mihailidis. “We have 12 startup companies that have come out of the network itself, and about half of them are starting to get some initial sales and traction, which is great to see.”

Mihailidis says his passion for innovation was first sparked as a student at Crescent School. He enrolled in Grade 9 at Crescent in 1988.

“The big thing I learned from Crescent was the ability to think independently, think creatively, think out of the box. Don't be afraid to try something, because even failure is a big learning experience. Those are all things I apply every single day in my job as a professor."

“I think being given opportunities to do those things even at that young age has stayed with me all along," says Mihailidis.

Upon graduation from Crescent, Mihailidis earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in biomedical engineering at U of T, then a PhD in bioengineering at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland.

Mihailidis’s interest in working with older adults was sparked by a chance conversation with an engineer whose wife had Alzheimer’s disease.

“He told me how difficult it was to supervise her, and to always give the prompts that she needed for activities like using the bathroom and getting dressed,” says Mihailidis. “He said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if computers could do all this for us?’ And that idea stuck with me. I ended up doing my master's thesis and my PhD on a smart home system to support people with Alzheimer's.”

Much of Mihailidis’s research focuses on using artificial intelligence to predict changes in health conditions. For example, motion sensors in a house can predict who may develop dementia or cognitive impairment with about 90% accuracy by detecting a person’s diminished movement or slower walking speed.

Another AGE-WELL project is the development of companion robots for older adults with dementia. These “socially assistive” robots can guide people via social interactions, such as speech, body language or gestures. The robot doesn’t physically pick up objects or perform tasks; rather, it helps encourage and prompt the older adult to complete the task themselves.

Though the project is still very research-based, says Mihailidis, he’s seen amazing things during testing.

“We have seen people with quite severe dementia working alongside one of our robots as they complete basic self-care activities, like making themselves a cup of tea,” he says. “These individuals will listen to the prompts and reminders given by the robot, and even strike up conversations with the robot.”

Mihailidis hopes to continue developing a community of researchers and establish Canada as a world leader in technology and aging.

“My personal goal is to train the future leaders in this area. These folks are so smart and the technologies have come such a long way since my time as a grad student. So I want to support them and allow them to continue to pursue their own goals.”

Alex Mihailidis '92 tests the capabilities of Pepper, the Softbank Robotics robot, to see how well it can communicate and collaborate with a human.

Photo by Nation Wong