Multilingual humanoid robot Dexie joins SingHealth to help dementia patients

SINGAPORE: SingHealth Group will now integrate a multilingual humanoid robot in its in-patient care programme to improve the cognitive abilities of dementia patients at its community hospitals.

The robot, named “Dexie”, is a social humanoid robot that is capable of speaking Mandarin, English, Malay, and even various local dialects. The group partnered with Dex-Lab and Goshen Consulting Services to develop a pilot programme for integrating Dexie, which helped dementia patients’ concentration and memory by nearly 50% in successful trials. 

Results of the initial trial

According to the statement released by SingHealth, the number of dementia patients in Singapore is set to nearly double in 10 years – increasing from 82,000 in 2020 to 152,000 by 2030.

During the trial, Dexie led at least six sessions for 28 patients, 79% of whom had dementia or cognitive impairment. The sessions included exercises, interactive choral singing, and cognitive-boosting games. 

The pilot programme resulted in positive results in many areas. The treatment sessions led by Dexie freed up two additional hospital hours for higher-level professional nursing work, which increased the productivity rate by 25%. Moreover, overall patient participation also increased by 32%, and their cognitive abilities, like concentration and memory, improved by 46%. 

The physical therapists involved in this programme said that at first, patients were resistant to the treatment, but they became more active and engaged as they participated in it. Seeing these positive results, some hospitals extended the treatment of Dexie to other patient groups besides those with dementia. SingHealth will become the first public medical institution in Singapore to integrate such a robot into its medical expertise. 

SingHealth Group now hopes that Dexie will be a long-lasting solution for interactive treatments in local hospitals, which will allow other medical staff to spend more time on complex care and emotional support. 

What can Dexie do?

Here are some activities that Dexie provide patients:

1. Conversations: Dexie can communicate with patients in Mandarin and English, and it is specifically developed to offer a calming experience for people with dementia. 
2. Singalong: Dexie’s Dementia Care Programme offers various multi-ethnic songs in English, Mandarin, and Malay. Dexie would sing along to the patients in an engaging way. 
3. Exercise routines: Dexie offers a curated range of engaging and effective exercise routines for people with dementia. 
4. Group-based games: The Dementia Care Programme offers mentally stimulating games to engage patients over a prolonged period of time. 

To know more about what Dexie has to offer, click here.