Robotic animal-like companions for older adults are promising technologies that have shown to have health benefits, especially for individuals with dementia, and good adoption rates in some previous studies. Our project, Affordable Robotic Intelligence for Elderly Support, aims to design new capabilities for companionship and smart care, but at high affordability. In a 6-month longitudinal study of baseline acceptance and well-being, we assessed the impact of an Ageless Innovation Joy for All™ robotic pet on user acceptance and emotional well-being (depression, loneliness, positive emotions). Nineteen participants from independent and assisted living facilities completed three standardized in-person surveys, each 3 months apart, including the CES-D, measures of Loneliness, Emotions, Attitude towards Technology (ATI), and various measures of evaluation of and engagement with robotic technology. The measures showed modest to very good reliability and meaningful construct validity. Participants in this sample showed little depression or loneliness, and these levels did not further decrease over the six months. People welcomed the pet and expressed positive evaluations of it, and these sentiments were stable over time. Attitudes toward technology varied but were unrelated to well-being measures and to robot evaluations. Our current conclusion, on the basis of a small sample, is that the selected robotic pet companion is appreciated and seen as beneficial, and for adults who are already low in depression and loneliness, the robot companion helps maintain the adult’s emotional well-being but does not further increase it.
A visual interpretation of an ambient expression expressed in time; 17:52
original music and video by svid subterranean video
visual timed countdown for new years in boston 1983 hynes auditorium by video projection
The Fruit of Chardin is a video symphony following a group of friends who meet in the evening to eat, party, explore the city, and make video and music together. Includes rare footage of Subterranean Video and an interview with video artist Nam June Paik, who discusses the meaning of Fluxus.
Did We Go? is an experimental video art documentary that examines whether humankind really reached the Moon in the Summer of 1969. Documentary filmmaker Aaron Ranen explores America to search for the truth behind claims of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. Original footage of many significant historical sites and interviews with first-hand participants in the Apollo 11 Mission. No matter what you believed before, this documentary will astonish you and change how you think about the first Moon landing forever.
To watch the entire video (sixty minutes), click on a link below.
An expanded version of "The Future of Conflict: Neurowarfare", both of which discuss emerging neurotechnology, neuroscience, and their implications for war, politics, medicine, ethics, and society.
An overview of Walter A. McDougall's 1997 book "Promised Land, Crusader State: The American Encounter with the World Since 1776" with some concluding thoughts.
