Robot-Assisted Meditation for Older Adults With Cognitive Concerns

Sponsor
Johns Hopkins University
Study ID
NCT07435220
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • Cognitive Impairment
  • Sleep

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
65 Years - 80 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Robot-Guided Meditation — BEHAVIORAL
    A handheld robot provides daily mindfulness meditation sessions that include both haptic and audio guidance.
  • Audio-Guided Control — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants use a standard mindfulness meditation app offering audio-only daily meditation sessions.

Study Details

While traditional app-based mindfulness meditation programs relying solely on audio guidance have shown potential benefits for older adults, the apps often face challenges such as low compliance. Participants frequently report difficulties in maintaining focus during meditation sessions, which can limit its effectiveness in improving outcomes such as stress reduction and sleep quality. Recognizing these limitations, this study explores whether a haptic-enabled handheld robot can enhance meditation practices by providing both haptic and audio guidance. The robot, designed to foster sustained attention and encourage rhythmic breathing, may offer a novel, multidimensional approach that addresses compliance issues and supports deeper engagement in mindfulness meditation. The study primarily seeks to answer the question: Does robot-guided meditation, combining both haptic and audio guidance, improve the sleep quality of older adults living alone with subjective cognitive decline more effectively than traditional audio-based mindfulness meditation guidance? Furthermore, the study examines a secondary question: Is the effect of robot-guided meditation on sleep quality mediated by reductions in stress? By investigating these questions, the research aims to offer insights into whether haptic-enabled meditation technology can overcome common barriers to mindfulness practices among older adults and serve as an innovative tool to improve physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being.

Key Dates

First listed
Feb 27, 2026
Start date
Nov 1, 2026
Status verified
Jun 2026
Primary completion
Oct 31, 2027
Completion
Dec 31, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
100 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Robot-Guided
    A handheld robot provides daily mindfulness meditation sessions that include both haptic and audio guidance.
  • Active Comparator: Audio-Guided
    Participants use a standard mindfulness meditation app offering audio-only daily meditation sessions.

Primary Outcome Measure

Sleep quality as assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) [ Time Frame: Baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks ]

Central Contacts

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